The hunger Games The Careers story
by Beefpie
Summary: This is the story Following Glimmer, Cato, Mavel and clove in the 74th anual hunger games. I love the careers and hope that as you read this it will not only show you what i feel their really like but exactley what they feel like. It broke my heart reading the hunger games triology and i hope what i've written does bring it to justice. Please comment and tell me what you thought.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one- the training centre.**

**Glimmers P.O.V**

I looked up into marvels eyes. He was beaming at me in a strange yet engaging sort of way.

"You ready Glim?"

He nudged me in the side making me jerk back in a small laugh.

"Only if you are"

I replied grabbing onto his hand briefly and then immediately letting go.

This is it the first time I'd be in a room with all of the tributes (other than seeing them for a brief moment in the chariots). I had seen their faces on the way up to the capitol but knew very little about what they were genuinely like out of their home district.

I was absolutely buzzing my whole body was brimming with wonder. On the outside I was trying to maintain my strong position but on the inside I was practically clawing at the elevator doors to open.

The glass doors slid open revealing a large transparent chamber. Both of us took a last glance and our temporary home.

"We will be together in the arena wont we?"

Marvel looked at me as the elevator doors closed.

"Of course marvel! You big idiot that's why were both here isn't it? To finally have a chance to be the representatives for district one? to bring glory to our district, Or to die trying, to give them a good games? Right?"

He smiled and I sensed a hint of agitation.

"Are we pairing with anyone else?" he questioned.

I bit my tongue I had been thinking of the district two boy ever since I'd seen him on the television. He was un-realistically perfect and looked like the winning sort of person. The things I would do to have him as an ally.

"It depends." I say although im begging myself to stick to the district two tributes as they both looked like the sort who became 'career' tributes. A name which the capitol gave to the tributes which ally together to kill the others and giving them a clear path to victory. The walls were slipping past our eyes as we descended to the training we heard a faint thud the doors slid open revealing ten pairs of eyes scanning our every move. I recognised the district two tributes immediately who were peering at us like hawks eyeing up our bodies. I gave a brief stare to the district two boy, with no emotion, just pure innocent eyes with no hidden thoughts or words. Hopefully that should keep him interested for a while longer. Marvel was looking the way of the weapons as if he wanted to run as fast as possible to grab his most beloved spears. If it wasn't for the others watching he would have probably been hopping about like a child on its birthday. I sniggered under my breath at the thought and realized that id broke the silence with my laughter. Inside I died. I can't believe I just laughed in front of everyone im such an idiot.

"What's funny" Marvel whispered avoiding any other eye contact other than mine.

He made me feel a little less embarrassed and I just pointed in the direction he was looking.

"You! You're like a kid at Christmas." Marvel smiled and nodded his head still holding my eyes.

I heard the district two boy laugh and tap the girl next to him.

"I hold dibs on the tall guy." The district two tributes laughed and I decided I liked them I looked up laughing softly to myself and marvel took me by the arm and walked over to them. They looked at us slightly unsure.

"You're district ones right? I remember seeing you on the train." The boy said.

He was just as perfect close up. He looked almost like a Greek god in the chariot rides.

"Im marvel and this is Glimmer. You guys are two's right?" marvel sounded so calm it made me feel incredibly inferior and in a way agitated.

"Cato and this is clove" he gestured to the reasonably small girl next to him.

"Who we waiting for?" marvel asked.

"Seven to twelve" Clove's voice determined that she was approximately the same age as me and marvel.

"Right" marvel said. "Well they better come quickly because that room looks too fun."

Cato smirked showing his luscious face curve like and angel.

"You guys fighters?" his emotion was impossible to read.

"Guess you'll have to see" I said.

"Guess I will" His gaze locked into mine and I almost froze completely it wasn't fear it was just complete and utter jealously. He was beautiful.

I heard footsteps and turned to see the remaining districts being led down the corridor by a tall, dark skinned woman with loveless green eyes.

"Welcome Tributes to the training centre, feel free to learn and use any of the equipment we have available and DO NOT involve yourselves in any form of fighting during these sessions. You'll have plenty of time for that later on. You will find experts on each station so if in need of any advice please question to them."

The lady's 'emotion Filled' voice ended and she turned her attention to the training room.

"This way please." She said in her wonderful mono toned voice.

Marvel fast walked past everyone making the three of us laugh and we followed abruptly after pushing past the district twelve brat who volunteered for her precious little sister. I lunged for the bow and arrows stacked neatly in the centre of the room facing a wall full of targets and dummies.

I readied myself and pulled back the string of the bow. Memories of my many years training flashed into my head and I softly pushed them aside. I inhaled the tangy taste of metal and placed the arrow into position. My eyes locked on the bull's eye of the dummies head and I let the arrow fly. The feathered end was just showing and the pierced end had gone directly into the centre.

"Good shot." Cato's voice exploded behind me.

I turned to see Cato, Clove and Marvel had been watching me.

Cato had his arms folded across his chest and marvel was clinging onto around several different kinds of high tech spears he'd found.

"You any good at hand to hand?" Cato said.

"Im Reasonable."

"Good" he sniggered and threw me a sword. I clung onto the bow with my left hand and grabbed the handle that had just been thrown to me. Clove took my place and threw five knives in directly the same place in five different dummies.

"I'll look after your bow, should i?" I nodded and gave her my bow.

Cato swung his sword in a figure of eight looking a bit too professional and backed up into the hand-to-hand combat area.

"Ladies first." He readied himself.

I lunged the sword forward hoping to get him off guard but he immediately blocked it elbowed me in the nose and pushed me back into the wall. I felt a warm hum of blood pulse in my temples and charged back swinging for the right of his head but he blocked it grabbed my wrist with his free hand and twisted my arm around. I heard his laughing and anger broke into me. I kicked back into his crotch and he flew backwards swearing his head off. Then as soon as I turned to look around I found myself in a head lock. I kicked and squirmed but he kept me in place.

"get-off-f" I choked and he let me free I rolled over, laying him underneath me, and let my face hover millimetres over his face. His eyes told me everything. He looked shocked as if he was expecting me to do something. But I just laughed and laughed "piss off!" he laughed back and shoved me in the face which made me shuffle off him. We sat on the ground mats composing ourselves.

"You're amazing" I looked at him panting and rubbing my nose.

"Thank you" he cocked his head back and stood up sticking out a hand for me to hold. "not too bad yourself" I stared into that beautiful face and wished I didn't look as weak as I did. I helped myself up and looked at him more seriously than I'd expected. My voice sounded sweet but inside I was still feeling a little bitter- the funny thing is I didn't know why. I wasn't angry or jealous or hurt but I just felt…funny. We turned at the perfect time to see marvel hurling a spear and taking off the head off a dummy. Cato flicked his head as if to tell me too follow. So I did. We gathered by the left wall and marvel and clove soon joined us.

"I saw what you two are like and im pretty sure we'd live longer if it was us four together." Cato nodded at clove who nodded back in acceptation.

"I agree" I nodded at marvel who gave me a cheeky wink and then turned back to Cato.

"Being an alliance always means we fight together and we stay together until the very end. We'll hunt down the others and if it comes down to the final four of us then so be it. But in the meantime we should make the best show possible and try to help each other's back ok?" everyone seemed to automatically appoint Cato as our sort of leader which added to the funny feeling inside of me.

"Let's get training!" Marvel yelled and made a kind of cheer in the air with his fist.

A red headed girl watched us from the poisonous berries stand and I absorbed the attention loving every second of it.

We were the careers.

And I wanted everybody to know it.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up and cocooned myself inside my covers letting its warmth spread over my body. The smell of the capitol filled my nose, it was too different to make me feel comfortable, so I got up and decided to visit marvel.

He was slumped in his bed as I'd expected and he looked pretty asleep to me so I just sat on the side of his bed twisting my hair into a braid. Today was the very first day of the 74th hunger games and something in me felt wrong? I should be overly excited about today but some other creature lurked inside me it made me feel like vomiting and made my head feel light- I think I was nervous? I nudged marvel in the head and he snorted.

"Marvel? Marvel wake up!" I shook his shoulder until he made some kind of remark under his breath.

"Uurhhhh go away!" marvel slapped the air and turned over.

"For god's sake marvel! Get up!" I couldn't help but smile as he turned over angrily and his hair was stuck in several different points.

"Why? Why do I need to get up? The games aren't until eleven and it's only eight in the morning- let me have another hour." He grunted.

"No marvel you've been asleep for like thirteen hours and no one normal sleeps for that long!" I laughed and he rolled sideways out of bed.

He muttered some kind of insult my way but I just brushed it off. Nothing marvel can say could piss me off because he was just too crap at insulting me.

"Get a move on flabby" I poked his ridiculously skinny ribs and he smirked to himself.

He quite calmly took off his shirt in front of me and then followed with his pants. I looked to my right as if I didn't bother me but inside it was so awkward I could barely breathe. He finally seemed to be finished changing so I decided to take my clothes somewhere else to get changed.

I looked at this carky green jumpsuit and gagged. If I made it too the end I was going to look absolutely hideous, unless, the capitol decided to place a shower next to the cornucopia which would be ideal. I got changed and made my way to the elevator with marvel. Cato and clove came from the opposite side of the corridor.

"Hey" I called.

Cato flicked his hand in the air and smiled but clove just nodded briefly and then looked back to the floor. She was pretty quiet which annoyed me but otherwise she looked happy enough to live with. Marvel patted Cato on the shoulder and they kind of just left it there.

"You exited?" Cato said as we shuffled into the glass container.

"MY GOD YEAH!" marvel said and suddenly looked awake. "It's going to be the best games since the 65th!" Cato beamed as he obviously remembered it pretty well.

"Ha-ha! You just keep it in marvel till we actually get there" clove laughed but I wasn't really interested so I just forced a smile and blotted out. The others were nice and all but again I had that god damn feeling I just wasn't ready to go in yet. Was it fear? NO! it couldn't be I just- I don't want to go.

"Glimmer? What do you think?" Clove eyed me dangerously.

"Uh- what?" I looked as if I hadn't been listening and clove sighed.

"Who'd you think we're targeting first?"

I panicked inside and ran through the other tributes faces.

"Probably that lover girl from district twelve" I said and a twinge of hatred burst inside me.

"OH my goodness - yeah! Guys we got to kill her! She's such a kiss arse! I mean who cares about coal? Or fire? I mean that's not her it's her bloody stylist." Marvel protested. He must have felt the same way as I saw the anger in his eyes. Cato and clove agreed.

"After we slaughter the tiny prats at the cornucopia we'll head for her." Cato said.

He looked into my eyes for the first time since Sunday. A twisting feeling filled my gut and I tried to hold his gaze, He had the coldest eyes I'd ever seen in my life and the longer I stared the more it hurt it felt as though he could click his fingers and I'd fall over. I wasn't jealous or angry or even scared, I just felt sick. But why?

It had been just three hours since I'd woken up and now I was there, Sat in a damp cold underground chamber waiting for my signal. My mentor sat behind me and started babbling on about how I should always be prepared. I agreed to everything she said although nothing really sank in.

"Right Glimmer, you ready?" she reached out a hand and I grabbed it instinctively.

"Always" my voice sounded perfect with none of my 'nerves' coming through.

"Go get 'em girl!" she said smiling and tapped me on my side. I liked the support of my mentor and I knew that this was a key aspect of the games, I act tough, and people sponsor me. I heard a beeping noise and I made my way into the glass tunnel. An air tight door sealed behind me and I took a last reassuring glance at my mentor. She winked and put her thumbs up. This was it. I was finally going to be in the games. Finally have a chance to become famous in the capitol. Finally make my parents proud of me…my friends…my district. The floor rose underneath me and daylight stung my eyes.

The arena materialised around me. A huge clearing, the cornucopia, and a Giant forest that surrounded us like a dome of wilderness. This was good, this wasn't too hard, I may even have a good chance of surviving. I looked around me and sure enough all twenty four of us stood circling the cornucopia. I spotted marvel who smiled and pointed to a large rack of spears which made me smirk. Then I saw my bow and arrows silently awaiting me to retrieve them and then adrenaline kicked in.

"Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, BANG"

My legs went before my mind did and I found myself overtaking the district seven girl and leaping over two tributes who were struggling on the floor. My hand reached the bow and I loaded the arrow and pulled back I fired into a young female who dropped onto the floor two cannons fired. And I saw a spear fly into a boy's neck. Marvel laughed and I turned to see Cato slicing a boy in half with what looked like a great sword of some kind. There was no time to think I just reloaded and found the district twelve girl running for a back pack.

"She's mine glimmer!" clove screamed and threw two knives at the girl. One hitting her back pack the other going into the boy from six. I changed direction and let my arrow fly into a butch girl from ten. Cato went swiping two kids at once who both fell with synchronised cannon fires. Cato roared with victory and flung his hand in the air. I laughed and sent him a wink. He winked back and my chest pounded and drummed with excitement. Bodies covered the clearing and I watched as a head was practically ripped off the screaming girl from six. A final cannon fired and we all turned to see the tall dark skinned boy from eleven dropping her body.

"Hey! Eleven, ever considered joining on?" Cato smirked kicking a body from under his foot.

The boy who was called Thresh spat on the floor and laughed. "You messed up filth! After one of you dies im coming to get you freaks!" he swore at us and ran into the foliage I armed the bow and aimed but Cato hit my hand down.

"NO! Not yet glim, not yet, we'll wait- and then we'll show him exactly what he's messing with" Cato brushed my hair from my face and called to the others.

"Right guys let's let the capitol clean up then come back to eat" We all followed silently and clove gave me a stare filled with Malice.

"Woo! Let's do it again!" marvel came running past us holding a spear and hopping about like a seven year old. We walked a good few meters from the cornucopia and I panted wildly. Even though I'd just killed several people I didn't feel anything. Not even the slightest bit guilty. I became a little worried I was going mad but then remembered that I'd spent my whole life waiting to be here and im perfectly fine. I looked at the others who all looked pretty tired.

"Can we wait here Cato? Im sure this is far enough." Clove sighed.

"Right guys, sit down and rest we'll go back in half an hour, hopefully they'll be done by then."

We all sat under a tall familiar smelling tree and we smiled. I rested my bow on the floor and scanned around us, No one, we were completely alone. I wondered how many people remained and whether or not we would be the very last four tributes.

"Day one guys- This is just the start" We all laughed. But then that feeling came back. It was stronger than ever before and I felt a little ill. I took deep breathes and rested my head on the trees rough bark. As if there was something inside my head all I could hear were the same words shouting over and over again.

"You're not going to win glimmer. You're not going to win."


	3. Chapter 3

{This isn't my best chapter, I admit, but it has to be here to get the romance started in its very subtle and mischievous way- sorry about its poor quality I'll probably edit it when im not about to go out later on ;-P but I hope its 'ok'}

"Hey Glim!"

Cato threw an apple in my direction and I caught it quickly. I took a bite and felt the sweet burst of flavour in my mouth. But it was harder to swallow- like a lump of rock. We sat around a campfire warming ourselves and eating the food provided in the cornucopia. We'd found the district three boy messing with the mines around us and decided to take him in but he doesn't really belong here we just needed a lookout. The capitols emblem interrupted my thoughts and flashed in the night sky with the anthem playing so loud it hurt our ears, and we saw the eleven faces of the dead tributes appear above us and then it vanished.

"Eleven down twelve to go" Cato coughed and his breath came out in small puffs of smoke. I shuddered at the thought. I might be one of those twelve.

"Im tired, im probably going to get some sleep" Clove stretched and reached for her bag.

"Me too" I said. Clove glared at me.

"Ok, Three, you're on lookout wake me up at daybreak and you can go to sleep" Cato's skin looked like embers in the fire light. He reached for his sleeping bag and shuffled over to the fire.

"You coming" he said. I looked up and realized he was talking to me. What did he mean? What was he trying to say? He lifted a muscle toned arm as if to beckon me closer. I moved curiously until he basically wrapped his arms over my neck and pulled me in. A rush of sweet smelling air hit me as my nose stuck into his chest. I could literally hear clove gagging behind me. But I didn't understand … was he just being friendly or was their more than that. "Night Clove, night Marvel" I heard Cato's chest echo as he spoke it made me feel sleepy. "Night guys" I yawned and looked over my shoulder. Clove was wrapped in her sleeping bag staring directly at me her eyes burned even brighter than our fire I decided it was best to look away. I turned my gaze to marvel who seemed not to be looking at anything. He had his chin on his knees and just stared into the flames.

"Night marvel…" My voice sounded raspy and quiet but I knew he'd heard it.

"Night" he muttered and turned away his back to the fire.

I sighed and went to snuggle into Cato again but he sensed my feelings.

"You ok?" he whispered.

"Of course" I felt a pang of confusion at his concern but carried on talking "just a little tired"

He smiled and brushed my hair out of my face again.

"Why'd you keep doing that?" I laughed, laying my head back down on his arm.

"I like your eyes… an I better keep moving that hair out of the way or I can't see them" we both smiled and finally reality kicked in.

"Better get some sleep though, don't know who were up against tomorrow" he closed his eyes and rolled on his back, keeping my head tucked in his arms. The more I tried to forget where I was the more I remembered that at least three of us were going to die in the end- if not all of us. I tossed and turned under Cato's grasp. Even though his scent was sweet and calming it was making me more worried with every breath I took. I wondered if the cameras were watching us now I better hide my emotions just in case. I buried my face down into Cato's chest so that the sleeping bag was covering my face. And I cried. I don't know why, but I did, I wept as silently as I could and tried breathing in for as long as possible. I felt so upset but I just didn't know why. I felt like throwing up as I moved up for a little air in the sleeping bag. I saw that the district three boy was sat completely away from us but he was still awake- so I guess we were still safe. I looked into the sky and kept my focus on an incredibly bright star. It probably was just a hologram but it was so beautiful.

"Are you still awake?" I heard marvel's voice whispering through the air and I knew he was speaking to me. I sat up and looked at him.

"Yeah I just can't sleep" I rubbed my neck and saw the district three boy looking up alarmed.

"I can't wait 'till tomorrow" marvel lay back down and peered into my eyes.

"Me too…" the silence grew and marvel changed subject.

"Do you think us four will win?"

"I hope so…"

"Well goodnight glimmer-im so glad that I've got you here….so im not completely alone"

"Im glad I've got you too… well night then" we had one final glance at each other and then I left the real world and entered into my dreams.

I saw district one, my friends were all laughing and cheering and then I saw Cato he was smiling at me and I ran to him. He opened his arms and as I tried to hug him… his emotion changed… his eyes looked furious and he lifted his hands into a great sword it came down upon me and I heard myself screaming violently- Blood-and horror. Then I woke up. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and panicking I reached out to grab Cato next to me. Instead I found an empty sleeping bag.

"C...Cato?" I called sitting up frantically trying to remain calm.

"Right here glimmer" he called and I turned to see him, marvel and clove eating some form of meat.

"God you look dreadful…" marvel laughed

I felt my face and he was right. I'd been sweating and my hair was curled and frizzy, I could feel my eyes had swollen slightly from the tears and I felt groggy and dirty.

"There's a lake over there if you want to … well… 'Clean' yourself"

Marvel and clove laughed but Cato just smirked and carried on eating.

How dare he- what so now he and clove were ganging up on me. Fine I'd show them. I Stood defiantly and unzipped my jacket throwing it onto the grass. I gave a fierce look at marvel and then stormed off to the lake. But of course it was no lake but a small quaint pond filled with lilies and some form of berry. I took off most clothing and stepped into the soothing water. The coolness of the water sent chills up my bones and my greasy skin was softened and cleansed. I lay back and stared into the trees watching the rays of sunlight pierce through the gaps. If there was a heaven this is what it would be like. The air hummed with bird song and I closed my eyes and relaxed. After a few minutes Cato came over and stuck his feet in the water.

"You're not angry are you?" he beamed at me and I couldn't help but smile back,

"No! I just don't take lightly when im told I look bad!" I splashed the water at him and he kicked me gently in the shoulder.

"Well I never said you looked bad did I?"

"No- but you laughed!" I drenched my hair under the water and then emerged looking a lot more respectable than I did before.

I got out and pulled my shirt on when I saw marvel staring at me from a distance.

"This suits your needs" I called mockingly sticking out my chest and curling my hair.

"A little better!" he smiled but I was still quite angry at him.

Cato grabbed my arm and gathered with the others.

"Are we ready to go hunting?" he grabbed the giant sword which made my knees give way and placed it in a sheath over his left shoulder.

"Ready when you guys are" marvel picked up his spears and passed me my bow and arrows. I took them quickly to avoid any further socialisation and got ready to leave.

Cato led and we all sort of just trailed behind him. We left district three guarding our supplies with the mines planted in a ten metre radius around it. As we walked we didn't bother to be quiet because we had nothing to hide from. We were the hunters they were the prey. There was a river running down a valley and we decided to cross it. Cato cheered and started to run and we all followed laughing. I felt like I was home. It didn't feel like an arena. It felt funny again. Since my nightmare I've been trying to avoid contact that much. But running through that valley, the guys just felt like…my family…my friends. Why was I here? Running and laughing through a valley? I leapt from a rock into the water and fell over making three rocks fall down the slope. Cato and marvel stuck out their hands in my direction and looked at each other judgingly. I burst into laughter and pulled myself up I looked at them both and walked off with clove. Marvels face told it all- he flicked water at Cato's face and the next thing I knew they were laughing and wrestling each other in the stream.

"Guys! Stop it!" I laughed.

And eventually they both sighed and stood up. It felt funny to have boys fighting to help you up off the floor .But not funny enough because everybody knows that you can't have fun forever especially not in the arena.

As we got back into the border of the forest we saw the boy from district twelve. My gut wrenched. And I remembered that I would never get to live a happy life with the careers. I would never really live happily if I won. And there were still people to kill.

Clove made her way forward screaming insults at him but Cato called her down.

"Twelve, why don't you join us?" All of us looked at Cato shocked. What was he doing? First thresh and now peeta? Was he insane? It was hard enough coping with four people- now five?

"What?" peeta stepped forward very cautiously.

"I mean we seriously do need another career to make things easier, and I saw you in the training area you're pretty strong"

"Cato what are you doing?" Clove hissed and dug her nails into his shoulder.

"You'll see" he breathed

"Well-I don't really see how I can help." Peeta backed away but Cato cried out insistently.

"But what about that katniss girl? Hey? Wouldn't you rather hunt her down and save her the agony?" Peeta's face hurled in pain and I truly felt for him. He was kind of in my position too, would he let the ones he cared about die? Or kill himself to give them a better chance…

"Ok-ok- you have a deal" peeta called and he shuffled towards us.

"Just wait for the right time and we can kill the lovers of district twelve together" Cato whispered. And I finally understood. The best way to find katniss was to find peeta. And when the time came we would slaughter the star crossed lovers together and step one rung higher to winning the games. Cato was very clever; sometimes he was just too far ahead for all of us, but I did admire him and ever since I'd met him he's always given me this funny feeling but still I couldn't piece any of it together.

Cato shook hands with peeta and nodded.

"Shall we move on?" he said.

"Lets" I replied. He smiled at me and brushed my hair out of my face. He held my hand and we started walking. I looked to marvel hoping for some kind of apology but all I saw was that bland emotion he had last night by the campfire and finally it started to twig- marvel wasn't just staring emotionlessly he wasn't completely fine- he was jealous- jealous of Cato.


	4. Chapter 4

Marvels attitude hadn't improved. We'd been walking for a good few hours, joking and laughing, but he still just walked on with the occasional forced smile. We made our way over a large stretch of grass and all started to feel the irritating pang of hunger I looked at Cato and he seemed to automatically understand.

"Who brought the food?" he said hopefully looking around the pack.

"Oh right, well I brought this but I don't think it'll be enough for All of us" clove took three small loaves of bread from her pockets and held them out. We all sighed miserably.

"It's ok, you guys split it…im not hungry" marvel looked to the floor and guilt churned inside me.

"No" I said in a very definite voice. "You can eat I had around several apples today im pretty sure I'll be ok until tomorrow." Obviously I was lying. But it was true that I could make it for one day. Anyone could really?

Cato looked at me worriedly but then tore the bred into equal amounts for four people and passed it around.

"Thanks-"marvel coughed as he tore through the bread. He was obviously much hungrier than I'd thought.

I sat enviously watching them finish eating but Cato threw a small crust my way and I ate it quietly to avoid attention. As they finished Clove passed round her water bottle and we all drank our fill and then started back on our journey. Cato immediately stopped and breathed in a long deep breathe. He hesitated and then did it again.

"I can smell smoke" he turned and smiled excitement brewing in his eyes.

"That means fire" Clove laughed.

"That means tribute" marvel finally looked up but blocked me from his view.

"Let's get out there!" Cato looked up to the tree line trying to spot the target "Look, over there!" he pointed and sure enough we saw a trail of smoke curling from the tree tops.

The poor kid obviously was getting cold, especially as it was nearing morning, and in the arena no sun meant no warmth. Cato led the pack and we all ran smirking behind him. We could see a warm hum of a fire in front of us through the undergrowth and immediately walked as silently and stealthily as possible. As we approached we could hear the fire crackle and a weak rasping for air. The soft breathing meant it must have been a girl and as we crept ever so much closer I proved myself right. A red headed girl from ten sat warming her hands on the fire and rubbing her body to stop it from freezing. The poor girl was completely clueless. Cato nodded and we all burst through the trees. Like an explosion the birds all flew manically, as if directly on cue, and we watched the girl turn wide eyed and absolutely petrified.

"Please!" she screamed "im so-s-sorry please-please don't hurt m…" Cato drove the sword through her stomach and watched the blood splash out of her. Her motionless body fell to the floor and we left it laughing. But that girl's horror still haunted my thoughts.

"Did you see her face?" Cato was in a hysterical laughing fit, having to stop walking ever few seconds to stop laughing. Clove and marvel found this hilarious and I put on my happiest face and burst into laughter too. But I didn't really see what was so funny. I looked at the peeta boy who seemed to just look quite neutral. He didn't seem disturbed in the slightest- I wondered if he was hiding something?

"Finally! We actually found something!" Cato put his hands on his face and shouted at the top of his voice in the best imitation he could "Please! Please don't hurt me!" Clove dropped in hysteria and I looked slightly worried at them all. Surely murdering someone wasn't this fun? Cato looked at me finishing his laughter and tapped me on the shoulder.

"You alright? Anyone would think you felt guilty? I mean look you're as white as a ghost" Cato joked and clove looked at me harshly.

"What's the matter? You scared of killing more people?" my gut wrenched at her tone of voice. She was mocking me. I held my tongue back and laughed.

"Me? Scared? GOSH DON'T KID ME! That was hilarious!" I looked at Cato for support and he smiled at me.

"See! I knew you were fine! Now let's carry it on guys- yeah?" the others cheered in agreement and we all walked on. Cato gave me a brief nod and smile and then strolled ahead with clove and peeta. Marvel appeared on my right side and I reached out a hand feebly wishing he'd take hold of it. He did.

Relief rushed through me and I put my head on his shoulder.

"Im sorry for making you feel like this." I rubbed my fingers in his palm tracing tiny circles and following the lines.

Marvel stayed silent but I knew he was thinking about what I said.

"I can't cope through this without you- I know it's hard- but I just never really thought that you…you could ever lo…love me." I felt him breathe painfully but then he replied in his normal steady voice.

"I think it's quiet hard not too- but I understand that im obviously not your 'type'" he laughed at himself sympathetically.

"What do you mean!" I said grabbing his hand tighter. "You're perfectly my type! I just suppose that I fell in love with someone...else...first" I gave him a brief glance and he laughed.

"Well I suppose im ok with that just…I'd decided something the other night… and when I saw you smooching with Cato it just hurt…a lot…" my heart wretched.

"What did you decide?" the words fell out of my mouth without me meaning too and I immediately regretted it.

"W…well I made up my mind that if we were the last four alive…I'd do anything I could…I'd try everything…to let _you_ win…" my head left his shoulder and I stopped walking.

"What?" my eyes welled with what could only be tears but as Cato turned around I shoved them back and started walking again.

"Really?" I asked even though of course I knew the answer.

"really." He replied- my heart sank with pity. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and wiped it into his skin.

"You can keep that one" I laughed and he sighed with relief.

"There's my glimmer, I was so worried I'd lost you for a moment!" As we moved it felt like a great burden had been lifted off our hearts.

"Your my best friend marvel… have I ever told you that?"

"No, but there's always time for something new!" he punched me in the arm and I looked up to see the others looking at us pretty enviously.

"Are you too coming?" clove said spitefully.

We both decided it was probably best not to do any talking for the rest of the day. Marvel ran off to join clove and peeta and I stayed with Cato who had a sort of angry glaze over his face.

"So…you and marvel…are you…well you know are you guys together?" Cato had bitterness to his voice but he never showed it in his appearance.

"Ha-ha! No! No way! He's just like a brother to me! I could never be with him! Not ever!" I laughed. But Cato just snorted.

"So you got a boyfriend back home?"

"No…do you? Have a girlfriend I mean!" I looked at his face trying to capture his brutal features.

"Nope…" The awkwardness seemed to seep into our throats and prevent us from speaking.

"Do you like anyone though?" Cato asked.

"Yeah." I said not really processing what I said.

"What's he like?"

"He's tall- beautiful- sweet- and he smells amazing…" I kind of laughed but stopped and carried on speaking.

"And I mean you should see him with a sword…" I heard Cato Laugh back and he reached out for my hand. I took it in mine. His hand felt different to marvels. It was strong and warm and I could feel the smooth scratch of his fingernails as he tapped a beat on my hand.

"Do I really smell nice?" he smiled and bit his lip.

"Oh! I wasn't talking about you! I can't believe you though that!" I smiled and that odd buzzing feeling blistered in my lungs. He laughed and picked me up heaving me on his shoulder. I squealed and started thumping his rock solid back.

He put me down after a few seconds and my hair was flopping over my face. He brushed it away again and scoffed.

"Who cuts your hair" he said mockingly.

A rustle of leaves broke the silence and we all turned to look straight up in a tree. Sure enough there she was. District twelve sat helplessly in a tree, with absolutely nowhere to run.


	5. Chapter 5

"Would you look what we found?" Cato smirked and folded his arms across his chest making all of us snigger.

"How you doing district twelve?" Clove snarled and reached for a knife on her belt.

"Not so bad, yourselves?" Katniss smiled back at us cheerfully and started to climb higher up the tree.

"Were good" Cato calmly responded and nodded at me. I pulled the bow from my shoulder and pulled back the string. There wasn't really time to think about what I was doing and I harshly let the arrow fly out. It stuck into a branch under her foot and she pulled it out and waved it at us tauntingly.

"Good shot" she grinned. Embarrassment filled my lungs and Cato pushed me aside.

"Hold this!" he rammed the sword at peeta who held it tightly to his chest. Cato placed his hands on the rough bark and heaved his volcanic frame onto the tree.

"Come on Cato!" Clove screeched. "Kill her!"

Cato Hauled himself up the tree and katniss kept ascending further and further.

'He'll never catch her' I thought and the next second all I saw was Cato's figure falling flailing onto the ground before us.

"Cato!" I reached out a hand and he spat out blood on the floor.

"Get off" His words were venomous and my body recoiled at the fury in his face.

He stood back up and we all looked up at her dangerously. If the capitol were watching this- they'd be laughing- at us…

Cato groaned and stamped his foot at the ground.

"Guys, why don't we just wait, I mean she'll have to come down sooner or later." Peeta suddenly emerged from behind us and we all looked at each other considering the idea.

"Yeah…Ok… we'll wait here until she comes down. Hear that twelve! You're not going anywhere!" Cato glared spitefully upwards into the tree and then sat back down on the tree roots.

"Right, someone make a fire, someone else go and look for food." The silence around us grew and then we all sparked.

"Talking of fires, I've not heard the cannon for that girl yet have you?" Cato looked to all of us for an answer.

"I'll go check, shall I?" peeta left the sword with Cato but took one of cloves daggers with him. As he disappeared into the trees we all seemed to relax a little.

"I'll go look for food- if there is any…and were going to need wood for a fire" Marvel stood up and clove stood too.

"I might as well help- not like katniss is going anywhere…" They both just strolled off and I slumped my head back against Cato's hard and supportive shoulder.

"I do miss district one…" my hand joined with his and he breathed a long deep groan.

"Well I promise that if I win, I'll never forget you…" My gut twisted. Of course he wouldn't let me win- We were picked- he… volunteered for a stranger. Of course I was happy that I'd get to be in the hunger games but my place in the games was just chance he actually wanted to get in here and kill people. He was literally in it, to win it.

"If it was… us four left… would you just slaughter us? Without any guilt at all" I somehow wanted him to say no, but I knew he wouldn't.

"Glimmer, I've trained my entire life to be here, I want to win..."

My heart sank.

"Of course! Of course… I get it…" Cato shoved his shoulder out of the way and looked into my eyes.

"I know that we can't ever be together properly glim, but you got to know…you've just got to know I-"A cannon fired and we both reacted immediately.

"Marvel! Clove!" I screamed and I saw them both running towards us and relief flooded my mind.

"Oh thank god I thought it was you two…" a very awkward silence grew and then clove finally broke the silence.

"Must be that campfire girl…" everyone nodded silently and I just captured marvel smiling at clove. I wondered if there was something else behind that smile but I didn't have long to wonder because peeta came running back with the knife in his hand.

"I got her." He said.

"Good" Cato took the very few twigs from clove and threw them into a pile.

"But Cato I've not-"clove reached out to pick them up but Cato kicked her away.

"It'll do" his voice was brutal as it always was around them and to be honest it did scare me.

"Cato there's barley anything edible around here. Shall two of us go hunting and see what other tributes have?" Marvel stood up preparing to leave but Cato just shook his head.

"No, don't worry, district two can handle it." Cato twirled a sharp stick in his hands until an ember flicked out. He blew on it gently with his soft angelic lips and a small flame started. Just as the fire fully roared into the air a parachute landed directly in front of us.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Sponsors" Cato grinned he reached over and opened a large black sack to reveal eight loaves of bread and two large pork chops Also there was a giant flask of water that was obviously made to be shared.

"Ah food- they took their time" marvel laughed and reached for one of the biggest loaves.

"Greedy" clove smiled under her breath and marvel threw a smirk at her.

I looked at marvel and gestured to clove- he weighed his hands in the air and it made me laugh. I never knew he was in to younger girls. We spent most of the day laughing and telling stories that weren't really related to each other. But after a while even a good time had to come to an end. The sky was becoming darker and we were all getting quite shattered after what seemed like a never ending day. Marvel finished his fascinating story and we all sighed after we knew there was none left to be heard.

I Yawned and rubbed my eyes. I still felt reasonably clean since the other night so I decided I didn't need to prep for the cameras.

"You guys tired?" Cato stretched his arms in the air and I suppose we all knew what to say.

"Yeah" clove sniffed "Let's go to bed guys- be up in time to greet our guest"

Marvel looked up into the tree and stared at katniss.

"You think she'll try to escape?" Peeta's eyes looked up at us from the floor as if he was preparing to argue back.

"Nah, she couldn't, not without waking us up- But just in case I'll stay watch tonight" They all looked my direction Cato's concern again appearing a little too obviously.

"But you're pretty tired, you sure one of us couldn't do it?"

"No, seriously I'll be ok" This time I meant it. I had food in my body warmth by my side and enough will power to stay up.

"Don't worry" I laughed "If it gets too much I'll just get marvel to do it."

Cato grinned and reached over for his sleeping sack. The artificial sun completely vanished from the sky and the capitol emblem replaced it. One Tribute had died today and the picture of the campfire girl appeared in the darkness. Peeta had killed her after all.

"Night" Cato rolled up next to me and put his shoulder beside me for my head to lean on. His body felt like an extra rush of warmth down my spine and I gladly pulled him closer to my body. I put a hand on his chest and felt the steady beat of his heart pulse under my palm it was soothing to feel so close to life in a place like this. It was something vital to hold onto.

Clove walked passed marvels sleeping bag and ruffled his hair they both quietly joked to themselves but finally their sleeping sacks fell silent. All that was heard was the Sharp crackle of the fire and the buzz of crickets in the forest. A warm orange glow tickled my face and I let the beat of Cato's heart drum into my head. My eyelids grew heavy and I kept feeling his pulse soothing me deeper and deeper into a dark untameable sleep. His breath dusted my head and my whole body fell numb to the sweet and comforting place of dreams.

I fell on Cato in the training area his lips millimetres from mine, he threw me an apple and I grabbed it smiling, he brushed my hair out of my eyes, he laughed, he winked then he held my hand and the sound of his heartbeat drummed in the background- the steady thump grew loader and loader until it soon became unbearable to listen to the once soothing sound was now roaring in my head and turned into an aggressive buzzing of crickets- And as it dawned on me it was too late- the buzzing wasn't a dream it was real. I opened my eyes wearily and a blurred picture of Cato was screaming at me heaving me by the shoulders.

"GLIMMER! RUN! FOR GOD SAKE RUN!" The blurred Cato vanished into the forest and a severe stabbing pain jolted in my face soon all I could see were black figures everywhere stinging me and ripping through my skin.

"HELP ME! MY GOD HELP ME! CATO! CATO!" The repeated stinging was burning my skin the sheer sensation was too agonising to put into words. What can only be described as blood was practically boiling in my arms. Every ounce of me felt like it was melting. I hopelessly ran in circles screaming for Cato, for marvel, for clove… none came and my body soon collapsed from some sort of seizure. The pain left almost immediately, my body numbed of any sort of feeling. I couldn't hear many things and each breath was harder and harder to create. My vision mainly consisted of trees and light until I heard him. Cato's voice spoke but I couldn't make it out and then what must have been his face blotted out the trees and stared directly into my eyes. "Glimmer" he mumbled and inside I replied his name. His voice was easier to understand close up.

"You still in there?" he said.

My head throbbed but I wasn't so sure what he meant- hadn't I died yet? He laughed sadly and his eyes filled with water-with tears- I didn't even know Cato could cry but my head was too full with pain to think back any reply to him.

"I…I love you" he sobbed but never looked away -he held his gaze-

"Don't you ever forget it…" he lent forward and I think he kissed me but I couldn't tell because my face had lost feeling. I felt my chest closing in on its self and my heart struggled under the pressure.

He brushed hair out of my face and sighed. He stood up and he went blurry again.

"Bhye Glhmmerh" he said and my brain started to slow down again- slowly turning off- my body span in circles and my face melted into the ground Cato ran off and yelled and my bow was ripped off my back leaving nothing to hold my withering bones to the floor. I couldn't see things anymore just funny shapes but I kept holding onto one thing, "I'll never forget you glimmer, I'll never forget you glimmer, I'll never forget you" and finally the funny feeling that had always been with me- the weird agitation when the Cato spoke- my sickness from day one finally made sense- I loved him- I loved Cato. Then the cannon fired and everything turned to darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six- Marvels P.O.V

We fell to the floor panting and moaning with the pain of the tracker jacker stings. My heart was shrivelled with grief as Cato ran back for glimmer. I can't believe I left her… I left her to die. Even though clove was next to me I wept into my hands. What kind of creature had I become. I promised her… I promised I wouldn't leave her I promised I would try to let her win…and I'd failed.

"It wasn't your fault" Clove said weakly holding her swollen arm and gasping for air. Even though she was speaking the truth I couldn't help but feel it was.

I made several sounds and tried to talk back to her but I just couldn't my throat just wouldn't make words. She thrust her good hand towards me and I grabbed onto it desperately gripping onto my final hope of sanity in this arena. We sat in silence for a few minutes and clove started to make soothing whispers and gentle hushing sounds. My mind began to relax. But then the trees shook and twigs snapped and clicked and Cato came limping into our view. We both knew she had gone… after the cannon fired… but I just begged to the sky that she hadn't. We looked up to him expectedly and he shook his head. I didn't see any sadness in his face but his eyes were swollen and red- he looked crazy.

"She's gone…" His voice gave him away because there were tiny cracks in his words. I sighed as the pain of reality tore through me. The shelter of the forest trees just made me feel trapped now, not protected, nothing left could make me feel safe anymore. I was going to die here just like glimmer. The thought of her name drove me into tears again and Cato violently grabbed me by the scruff of my neck.

"HOW OLD ARE YOU FIVE!" Cato roared "Get a move on marvel! she's gone ok? Never coming back! DEAD!" he shook me in his hands and dropped me back onto the soil. As I landed I regained my posture and looked at the floor blandly. I was right when I thought he looked crazy.

"Let's keep moving." Cato snarled

Clove attempted to take my hand but I walked away fast wanting to be alone… desperately. The further we walked the further my heart was left behind. We didn't even bother to turn to look at the hovercraft collecting glimmer because we all knew it was too painful. Even clove who at first hated glimmer was starting to realize this wasn't fun anymore. I didn't want to play this game… it wasn't what I thought it would be. All those useless years back home going to train for the hunger games, just in case I was chosen by fate to compete for eternal glory, it was all bull shit. The capital, the rules, the games all of it was the capitals 'HILARIOUS' way to piss on our pride and ruin our lives.

What seemed like days passed and the sight of our once beloved camp came into view. District three was sat tampering with some kind of mine and he stood to welcome us but sat down as he saw the looks on our faces. I shook my head at him to save him from stating the obvious and he sat back down trying to avoid our stares.

"How did she go?" district three obviously wasn't very good at keeping his mouth shut but Cato didn't seem to be angry, just heartless, as always.

"Stung to death by tracker jackers, died in some kind of coma I think? Couldn't tell though her body was twice the size as it once was so it was hard to tell how she actually died."

All of us shuddered slightly, picturing the scene, and I had to bite together in anger at his lack of sorrow. All of us were soaking with sweat, besides district three, so we decided to wash and then regroup to discuss further strategies. After all it was only half way through the day and my best friend had been brutally killed for the entertainment of those savagely misunderstanding people. I took off my top and images of me and glimmer back in the capitol tortured my unstable mind.

"Oh marvel!" Cato waved me over and I grudgingly scooted over to his side

"What?" I asked.

"It was katniss by the way- she dropped the hive on glimmer- and peeta ran back to help katniss. I slit him through the gut so he probably won't make it until morning. But katniss was behind it… I was thinking we should go back out in a few days to finish her… in the most hideously vile way we can think of, just wanted to let you know." Cato nodded subtly and practically tore his clothes off. I suppose the more brutal he was the more sponsors he got. That sickened me. I numbly went into Glimmers Lake and washed away the tear stains from my face but I still felt the soreness and agony inside me. I plunged into the water and opened my eyes. The world down there was so different to the one we lived in. every shine and every ray of light was so clear and so beautiful. Small air bubbles escaped my lips and I watched their innocent little structures drift off into the water. This place was paradise and for a reasonably long time I completely forgot where I was- until clove pulled me out of the water fiercely and I realized that id been desperate for air. I gasped and panted on the side of the banks and clove pulled me up to face her.

"What do you think you were doing? You were just going to drown yourself! What are you thinking!" she stared at me in honest disbelief and I choked up water miserably.

"I just wanted to wash my face and…I just kind of forgot where I was… I guess grief took me to her house and I kind of just wanted to stay there." We both mulled over my metaphor and I kind of laughed ironically.

"I don't want to be here clove…" I looked straight into her eyes unafraid of what I'd find, but shocked myself to see she was smiling.

"Why? Reality proving it's just too hard for you? You only just figured out what we do here… hey?" clove put her hand on my cheek and I breathed a prayer of thanks. I was going mad, I knew there was no stopping that, but at least in my last days of life I had someone to share it with.

"I suppose I just wasn't expecting glim, my glim, to go… I just wasn't really thinking about us dying… I suppose I just thought us four were…invincible." Clove sighed.

"Not all of us will win Marvel… Cato volunteered because he knew he would win, but us, well we just got to be here to make the show a good one. That's why I've been acting like this from the start because I knew I'd have to go some time…I'd just rather die in the hands of Cato than anyone else I suppose." We both looked down at the sombre mood catching on around us.

"Well I suppose you're right… dying at your hands or Cato's would be an easier route out of it…" I reached out of the water to pull clove into a hug, she happily let me embrace her and I held on as if it was the last thing I'd ever feel. As I felt her warmth spread over me I missed glimmer. And I know that's an appalling thing to say but it was true. I didn't miss her romantically but I truly just missed her. I didn't think clove would understand but I wanted to see if she did.

"I loved glimmer…but not like I love you, I don't know if you understand, but it makes sense to me… and I just wanted to say it… because I needed to." I worriedly looked to clove and she was on the floor laughing. I stared confused.

"Why do you have to explain that to me? Of course I understand! Didn't you see how I looked at her when she cuddled with Cato! I was furiously jealous of her!" Clove laughed and I decided she did understand and it made me feel a little better inside.

"You know I think you're beautiful…" I smiled at her because she did look beautiful.

"How many girlfriends have you had marvel?" she smirked.

"None…why can you tell?" she flooded into laughter and kissed me. My whole world stopped. I thought at that moment nothing could be as bad as loosing glimmer in the games, but then something even worse struck me, like a bullet to the head. Falling in love was worse… much much worse.


	7. Chapter 7

I threw my filthy jacket over my shoulder and went to sit next to district three, who was sat alone looking miserably at his latest mine. Cato was still washing and clove had gone searching our pile of food for something to eat. The boy looked briefly at me but then turned his attention back to his mine- it made me feel bad that I didn't even know his name.

"So… what's it like in district three?" He jumped when he realized I was talking to him and looked panicked for his lost ability to speak.

"It's ok, im not as scary as I once was…" I said awkwardly and then cringed at how uncomfortable I sounded.

"Oh…well there are tons of factories" he said.

"Oh right, I get it, is that were you…invent stuff?" he laughed at my lack of interest.

"Yeah, I guess, we make traps and weapons and stuff but I suppose being from the district of luxury you do a lot more exciting things…right?"

"Ha- well yeah I did before…" As I sat there talking to this boy I realized that this is probably the first time I'd ever made conversation with him. I would be worried that the capitol would think I was weak, but after I'd accepted that I was to die in here I couldn't care less about what they thought.

"Marvel, what are you doing? Get over here!" Cato bellowed me over and I reluctantly walked towards him.

"What? I was quite happy sitting down…" I moaned.

"Why were you talking to three?" Cato growled at me.

"Uh? I don't know, because he was the only other person around maybe? Or should I just talk to myself next time?" Cato flinched at my sarcasm and dug back in me with another stab at glimmer.

"Well hold on a second smart arse-where'd you learn to back mouth like that? Your mom teach you? Don't try make new friends in this pack cuz three will be next, after your petty glimmer went and got killed- I had no other options but to pinpoint down the most useless ones-don't put yourself in target marvel- I don't want to have to kill you yet. "When Cato used glimmers name I felt like lunging for his face, but I knew that it would only result in my death arising much quicker.

"Sure Cato…" My body was throbbing from exhaustion and luckily clove came over at just the right time.

"Hey guys." She smiled taking a big bite out of some sort of vegetable.

"Hey" Cato smiled "I was just warning marvel …about keeping in line"

His words sounded vile and twisted the longer he stood there the more I just wanted to attack him. I think clove read my thoughts because she basically hurled this food in my mouth trying to take my mind of him. I took it but my mind still raced with anger. Cato and Clove started talking together and my brain just decided to blot them out. Why was I even still here, there wasn't any point trying to live anymore, clove could most likely live until the final two and Cato would win this games and return home a champion. I was just a shadow of my former self, and I felt that every breath I took wasn't mine to breathe in the first place. The air around me was musty like breathing in the air around a fresh campfire…a fresh…a fire…

"A fire!" I said and they both looked at me.

"What where?" Cato looked around us until all of our eyes focussed on the trail of pillaring black smoke.

"Let's go! Quick, before they realize!" Cato sprinted to district three who passed us our weapons weakly and was pushed back into sitting down again.

"Watch our stuff three? Ok!" Cato barked, and ran full speed ahead of us into the forest we followed as fast as possible. Clove was pretty fast for her size but there was no way she could keep running this pace with the both of us guys sprinting.

"You ok?" I panted.

"Yeah"she gasped for air and we kept on running.

After endless sprinting we arrived at a deserted campfire and Cato looked around dangerously.

"That doesn't make sense? It's still burning? Where'd they go!" he yelled angrily.

We all looked- but no sign of any tribute could be seen anywhere.

"SHIT" he yelled and turned to retrace.

Just as we were about to turn back to follow, an abnormally large rush of wind froze us still followed by the sound of a gigantic explosion eating away at the forest.

"The mines" Clove breathed.

And the three of us ran back desperately- not even processing what we might see within a few seconds. As we approached the cornucopia a thick smoke blotted our view. Cato waved his arms in the air to waft it away and our whole pile of food lay in ruin spread all over the clearing. In shock I stood still and tried to believe what lay in front of me, Clove had her hands to her face and was rasping for air and Cato had landed in some kind of mental hysteria. He screamed in rage and ran around the clearing in short bursts swearing and gripping onto his hair. District three emerged, horror trapping him into his small and cowering position.

"YOU!" Cato screamed, and stormed over to three. Within a second Cato grabbed him by the neck and twisted it out of joint. Cannon fired and the poor kid's body fell limply onto the ash piled floor.

"ARGGHH!" Cato screamed and started to kick at his body.

"Marvel…" clove touched my arm, her fear coming through pretty obviously.

"Will we starve?" she said. But I couldn't reply- I just looked in utter disbelief around me.

"Marvel!" Cato roared. "Search every trap around us, don't come back until you've found who did this!"

I looked to clove who was nodding her head.

"Cato, we should stay together- this place could still be really hazardous." Cato shot her a glance and I smiled in her direction.

"Its fine clove, I'll find them, and then I'll be back by nightfall- ok?" my smile wasn't convincing enough and I had to leave before she started crying. I walked past district threes body and sighed.

"Sorry kid" I whispered and went off into the woods.

As I got to the first set of empty snares I started to believe I wouldn't find the tribute- and there was no way I could keep my word- this would be the end of me if I even dared to return without them. Maybe it was time to go off alone and see how nature deals with me, to finally break the alliance and just let myself go…

That's when I heard the little girl's voice screaming a name.

"Katniss! Katniss! Help me!" The voice sickened me.

It was screaming for help from katniss- katniss killed glimmer-That's when my body reacted before my brain could. If katniss murdered glimmer than I will murder her.

"Katniss help me!"

I ran towards the little girl's voice all my grief and sadness replaced with pure madness and hatred. I burst through the trees, my teeth gritted and my eyes wild with fury. I got out my spear and hurled it into the chest of the small girl. She squeaked her face froze in pain, and I saw an arrow fly into my windpipe. A quick burst of agony soon disappeared and I knew it had finally been done. I had been saved from the game that I was so bored of playing and greeted by death like an old friend. I took his hand and walked into the silent darkness- cannon fired and my game had finally ended.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight- Cloves P.O.V

As the cannon fired I stood up panicking.

"Marvel" I stared at Cato my mouth open in shock.

"He'll be fine Clove." His voice sounded rusty and unsure.

"Cato im not waiting around for another one of us to die!" I screamed.

"What did you say…" As Cato started to understand what I meant I was shaking his arms begging him.

"Please, Cato please! He might be hurt Cato! We don't know who that cannon was for!" I pleaded impatiently and finally he gave in. I took his arm and hurried off towards the sight where marvel must have been. The closer we got the more and more I worried. We passed a tall and broad pine tree and second cannon fired. My heart skipped a beat and I felt as if my knees had frozen to the floor. Marvel. That could have been him. This made me run and I heard Cato moaning behind as I dragged him along. Fear gripped me and I felt like crying his name. Please marvel don't be dead, don't be dead. Cato broke off from my grip and turned me around.

"Clove, if he's still alive, we better find him quickly. I'll go this way and you go that way- then were bound to find him…or his body. Be back here in ten minutes ok?" I nodded and he started to turn to his direction.

"Wait Cato!" I squirmed for his arm once more. "Please stay safe…"

Cato smiled and ran off into the trees, Being alone made the search even more heart meltingly bad.

"Marvel?" I said- but my voice was broken and hurt.

"Marvel?" My throat tensed and I saw an ever so familiar body being lifted into the sky.

The boy's chest was drenched in blood and an arrow was sticking into his throat. I found myself collapsing on the floor crying so hard that it hurt to gasp for air. Marvels face was still torturing my mind and I wept savagely as I knew if I still lived I'd never be with him.

"JUST KILL ME!" I screamed, but even if the cameras were filming me I doubt they'd understand what I was saying because my voice came out as some kind of growling sound.

My ribcage felt as if it would break under the pressure of my sorrow at any minute.

I heard a snap of a twig and immediately I sat up, cutting off my tears and becoming ever so aware of what was around me. My jaw dropped in utter disgust as I saw the katniss girl running past me tears drowning her face. It must have been her. She must have murdered him. I stood up to charge after her but a hand clamped around my face pulling me into a hard and well-built shoulder.

"Not yet clove, look at you? You couldn't kill a five year old in this state. Pull yourself together!" He angrily smacked the back of my head making me stumble forward.

"He's dead CATO! ... He's dead because of you!" I viciously looked into his eyes and he stared back as if he'd just been kicked.

"That's the whole point of this game clove! People die! What you haven't realized that yet? Of course I didn't want him to die! But I mean he had to some time!" I recoiled ready to strike back hard.

"Well maybe if your precious '_Glimmer_ 'was around you'd be thinking differently! Maybe see how it feels to have feelings!" His face melted in some kind of pain that only he can feel.

"_She died because of katniss." _He spat "_And so did Marvel so if I were you I'd shut up before I get really angry at you."_ He turned around and shrank into some form of depression. I wondered if I'd really got to him and I felt kind of bad.

"Cato im sorry…for taking a stab at you… I really didn't mean to i-"

"You know what it doesn't matter- you were right." He looked to the floor.

"No i…what?"

"You were right clove… it was my fault that they're both dead- ok? You happy now!"

His voice started to fail and I wondered if he was really as upset as I was.

"I left them both clove, to die, but im not making that mistake again- Im staying with you until the end- no matter what" He reached for me and I felt as if I had to obey. We held each other in the silent forest and he put his lips practically into my ear as if to hide his words from the capitol.

"I miss them just as much as you do clove…I just… have to hide it." After he'd confessed I put my face into his shoulder and smelt the faintest scent of glimmer- I shook my head away feeling her eerie presence and then turned my attention back to Cato.

"You don't have to Cato, you don't, everyone knows how strong you are and no one will ever forget it…no matter what." I smiled to show I meant it and he smiled back half-heartedly.

"I just hope so Clove- I really hope so" I didn't understand what he meant but neither of us talked after that. We just kept on walking. I didn't know where we were going but I let Cato lead me- I reached out to hold marvels hand and then brought it back sadly as I remembered he wasn't there. The sky turned a dark red and I couldn't help but think it represented the blood from all of those dead tributes- I shuddered.

"Shall we stop here?" Cato asked.

"Yeah" I sighed. I missed food. I missed shelter.

He unrolled our two sleeping sacks and tucked them behind a thick row of green bushes. He yawned and came over to hug me and I gladly embraced him and tried not to breathe in glimmers smell.

"Night clove" he smiled and wrapped himself in the thick, rubbery material.

"Night Cato" I couldn't help but think about food but I pushed the thought away and let the feel of night pull me into sleeps grasp.

"Night glimmer, Night marvel" Cato said. My stomach churned. And I turned to face Cato who was emotionlessly staring into the pink sky. It hurt to think he just said their names out loud but I thought it couldn't get much worse than never speaking about them. I myself looked up into the atmospheres calm and still picture and spoke my message to them in my head.

' Hey marvel…Hey glimmer, im sorry I never really got to know you both properly, but I suppose we just met in the wrong sort of place...' What the hell was I doing, no one was listening to me, no one could hear my thoughts but it drove me mad until I started to think again. 'Glimmer- I treated you like filth because I was so jealous of you- you could twist men around your little finger and I was just so…single centred I…im sorry.'

Im mad, there's no explaining how devastated I felt to be speaking to them, but I just felt like they were really listening to me.

"Are you talking to them?" Cato asked.

"Yeah…I think im crazy..."I replied, he laughed.

"See you tomorrow clove." This time he meant it and closed his eyes firmly, blotting out the rest of the world.

'Night marvel…I love you' I tucked myself into the temporary warmth of my sleeping sack. Greif was hanging on our hearts but luckily sleep wanted to take us I felt myself falling into sleep the capitols anthem blared into the night sky. I opened my eyes wearily to see marvels faces appear in the stars. It hurt to see him again. Then the small girl from district eleven appeared but no katniss came that night. I moaned sadly and clenched my knuckles together. I knew I wasn't leaving this arena…but I also knew that I had one more person to kill. If I was going then so was Katniss.


	9. Chapter 9

As I woke up, Cato was moaning in his sleep. I reached out and held his cold hands. As soon as I touched him his eyes flicked open and he shivered away the nightmare he'd just had.  
"You hungry?" I asked

He nodded and almost immediately a black cloth parachute came drifting down from the sky.

"I love their timing…" he laughed and sat up sniffing. As we opened the bag the smell of fresh bread filled our noses and my hungry desire for food started to drive me crazy. I snatched for a slice my mouth watering uncontrollably and we both ate the first few parts in complete silence trying to fill our empty stomachs as quick as possible. The warmth of the food only made my face seem better the rest of my body was solid like ice.

"We need to kill her Cato…"

The agitation in my voice made it clear who I was talking about.

"I know, but she's obviously not as dumb as we thought" Cato took a large bite out of the bread and made a shockingly load ripping sound as he tore it off- it made me think of him ripping off somebody's head and I shrank back into my sleeping sack.

"Look when we next see her, we'll kill her, I promise this time." Cato shuffled Out of his sleeping sack and rearranged his jacket to look more presentable. He stretched and clicked his shoulders making me smile with disgust. Thats when we heard it. The birds flew manically and the voice came booming out around our heads.

"Congratulations to the last six remaining tributes- We would like to offer you an opportunity, If you, so wish to take it- Make your way down to the cornucopia where a feast will be waiting for you…There hopefully you will find exactly what you will be needing… good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour"

The forest fell into a long agonising wait. It was like we were waiting for the others to move first.

"Cato…We need to get what's in there… It must be something important" By the look on his face I knew what was coming.

"Who's going?" he said.

"Me. Im going Cato and only me, im not risking loosing you as well and anyway you have a better chance of winning this thing. If I died, you could win this; if you died…I wouldn't stand a chance." I wasn't letting him go and he knew that.

"Clove, I can't let you die! Not after what I did to glimmer and marvel… I just couldn't live my whole life knowing that…" I put a finger to his mouth.

"If im not back in half an hour come after me, ok?" Cato's face relaxed a little and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, holding him tight.

"You come back soon ok?" he smiled.

"Will do Cato" I smiled back. He patted my back and watched me run off into the ever so distant forest. This place wasn't as open as I'd assumed, Branches blocked my path and dead trees barricaded my way. I sighed feeling sorry for myself. At this rate it would take a good twenty minutes to get back to the cornucopia.

My feet were aching from the continuous running and I was most likely nowhere near my destination. I felt worthless. I wanted to just fall over and die… and see my marvel again. I barely knew the boy… but he was just so precious to me, no other thought could ever replace him no other feeling could ever replace the one I felt when he looked at me. My mind drifted to the first conversation we'd had… he was looking for berries and I was picking up twigs,

"Thanks for coming with me" he said.

And I stared at him confused by his weird attempt at an ice breaker.

"Yeah no problem, it's probably better to leave them to love birds alone…" I heard his laughter again- his echo of a laugh filling my heart.

"Do you have a partner back in district two?" He asked.

"God no! boys just don't really like me..." I smiled awkwardly wishing he'd change subject.

"I like you…" his voice trailed off

"What?" I laughed.

"I…I like you." I looked into his eyes and that's the moment my heart broke… for him.

Then my mind whirred and I was brought back to real life. My feet were still running but I think it had left my mind behind a couple of miles. My face was bashed by a branch and I jutted back swearing quietly.

Just as well it did. My feet were placed centimetres away from the clearing that led to the cornucopia and I almost blew my cover. I prayed a thanks into the air and scanned my surroundings. In the centre there was a table, placed right next to the cornucopia, on it lay five bags labelled Two, Five, Eleven and Twelve.

Twelve… I was coming for her…not the rucksack.

As I paid closer attention to the opening, a red headed girl ran sprinting across the field; she grabbed her bag and was off in a matter of seconds. 'Clever bitch' I scowled. But then I saw katniss. Slow at first but then she moved into a run. I didn't have long to think and anger had already taken over. A knife was removed from my belt and hurled through the air. I skinned her arm and she turned quickly to see me running towards her. I got my second knife and pelted down on top of her. She squealed and I just struggled harder.

"Where's lover boy district twelve?" I laughed manically.

'You took marvel' I told her in my head, you took his life.

"Well wherever he is… he's not here now is he?" I traced her horrified face with my knife and smiled to myself.

"And where's that ally of yours?" My mind was too bent with hurt to consider her feelings and my word vomit came pouring out of me.

"What's her name...? Rue? Well we killed her, and now were going to kill you!" Katniss screamed at her name and I felt like a champion. Finally katniss would die… in my hands and feel the torture of a slow and painful death. My trail of thought was interrupted as two brutally hard hands hurled me against the cornucopia. My chest slammed against the hot metal and I choked on my words in utter shock. Thresh. He stood gritting his teeth in my face his forehead almost cracking mine into the great horn.

"What did you say? D' you kill her! YOU KILL HER!" Thresh moved his hands to my neck and terror tortured me.

"CATO!" I cried "CATO!" Thresh pulled me towards him I was screaming for Cato yelping and crying his name. My head went slamming into the cornucopia and a sharp pain jolted through my body. I made a gasp for help and I was pulled forward once again my whole body was dizzy but I screamed through my tears one last time.

"CATO HELP" my body went flying backwards.

A cannon fired


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter ten- Catos P.O.V ( warning: a little bit gory later on)**

"CLOVE!"

My mind was racing with fear. I smashed my way through the trees swiping branches out of the way.

"CLOVE!" my voice broke as I screamed. Nothing could stand in my way anymore- it was just me and her.

"CATO! HELP" She cried. I ran and ran my heart exploding in my ribcage.

A Cannon fired.

My world went blurry and my throat closed completely, I stumbled my way forward but tripped on the nearest log. My face went crashing into the soil and I weakly pushed myself back up.

"Clove" my feet tried to run forward. "don't be you" I choked.

My hands pushed away the trees leaves and cloves body laid on the floor slumped next to the cornucopia. I walked towards her my heart being shredded into a million pieces. And as I approached her I saw her head had been smashed in. I dropped to my knees laughing tears streaming down my face.

"I told you clove…" I screamed "I told you!"

"I FUCKING TOLD YOU!" I threw my fists onto the floor tearing the grass from the soil.

"I PROMISED YOU!" my teeth were gritted and I was shaking abnormally violently.

"Look at you!" I sobbed but the helpless smile stayed stuck on my face. I pushed cloves body to lay on its back- her lifeless eyes stared into the clouds.

"What can I do?" I laughed.

"What can I do… ANSWER ME!" I sat there for years, refusing to let my body move from her side. Then I looked up to the sky and cried out.

"I'll show you what I can do!" I laughed "The remaining tributes will all die! And I promise that to you all! They will die! In the most brutal ways imaginable! Not one will be spared. Not one…" I looked down and stared at clove.

'She was gone' I told myself over and over again. But I couldn't believe it.

"Im going to win this clove…" I smiled at her painless face. Her blood was just another reminder to who would die in my hands. Judging by the sheer power it must have taken to break her skull I was guessing thresh had something to do with her death. This made me happy. I would kill him gladly after what he's done. I looked around me but the field was empty. There was an item less table in the middle of the field and I guessed that was the so called 'feast' the capitol talked about. As I made my way to the forest I heard a harsh laugh behind me.

"Did I hurt you two? D'ya finally see how it feels?"

His words echoed behind me and my back tensed.

I rolled my head on my shoulders and heard the clicks snapping my stiff muscles.

"I've been looking forward to this thresh-"

My fists clenched and I reached for the great sword shielding my back. My heart drummed in my ears and I relied on that steady pulse of blood to keep me alive.

Ever so slowly I turned and locked eye contact with thresh. The fury of his stare just made me laugh.

"You'll be needin' this"

Thresh glared at me holding a large rucksack saying two on it-

He pulled an axe from his thigh and dropped the rucksack on the floor. As the large mass of material landed on the floor my foot edged forward. He shook his head tauntingly and my moth curved into some kind of smile. But I was anything but happy.

"Ladies first" I smirked.

The next thing that happened was too fast to recall. We collided. Thrashing and kicking and swearing. Two giant frames clawing at each other's bodies. Then the adrenaline that had been building up inside me exploded. I smashed the sword down above him only to find my left arm being slit by his axe. I cried in pain but flung back slashing his upper calf. He reached for my hair trying to make some witty remark but I wasn't listening. Or I didn't understand… right now the only language I understood was violence. I yelled and screamed and hit him but the mighty frame wouldn't fall. He punched me in the chest and I backed away for a few seconds in shock. But then my right fist reacted and my knuckles went force blaringly hard into his jaw. He stumbled back and put a hand to his face. I'd dislocated his jaw. Now was the time to act. Manically I swung the sword in a crazy fashion trying to catch im of guard. But every time he managed to block it. This freak just couldn't fall down. Then it hit me- the idiot must have a target- a sensitive topic…a weak point.

"It's a shame you'll never go back to district eleven."

I coughed up the blood in my mouth and lunged for him with my sword.

Speaking of his home had worked. The blade went plunging into his hip and he fell to the floor screaming. I laughed and placed my ankle on his ribcage, drilling my boots into his bones trying to pierce his lungs. Thresh didn't give up though. He clawed at my face dragging parts of my skin off under his nails. I cried and punched him under the jaw but I was too late- He had his hands around my neck and was choking me on the floor.

"Not this time…two!" Thresh squeezed his hands together and I could feel my most desperate air leaving my body. Thresh clamped his hands together even tighter and I knew it was over. But not for me. I placed me free hand in his eye socket and clawed my way into his head. I felt the blood dribble down my fingers and his hands released my neck. After he fell to the floor in agony I rubbed my neck.

I knew for certain he wasn't getting up so I re placed my foot on his ribs and got my sword ready to impale his neck. I wasn't planning to be quick though- I was planning to be as slow as possible…to drag the pain out even longer. Thresh opened his good eyes and looked into mine. His eye was blood-stained and filled with tears.

"Don't worry Cato- you kill me- I'll be sure to say hi to glimmer in the afterlife." He smiled sadly and the remaining energy inside of me vanished. Glimmer. He'd found my weak spot. An axe went slicing my Stomach and instinctively I slowly pushed my wait on the sword. Thresh's voice wailed into the arena but soon the blade had got deep enough to shut him up. A Cannon fired. I pulled my blade from his Torn body and put a hand on my wound. It was deep. Blood was already soaking my clothes. I stumbled for the back pack and looked inside. A pink flesh coloured chainmail lay folded inside and it filled me with relief. The armour was to protect me from weapons…from katniss. I laughed and looked up into the sky.

"Great timing…" I muttered and put the armour on under my clothes. It was a perfect fit.

Smelling the familiar scent of metal made me think of home. After all, masonry was our speciality and the whole concept of armour and weaponry was a familiar topic to children in district two. Thinking of home made my head feel heavy with grief and soon I found myself throwing up the bread from earlier.

"Any chance you got any food" I yelled. No one replied. I made my way to a lagoon and my mind shut down. Glimmer once bathed hear… however many years ago that was… hold on it wasn't years it was weeks…no days. How long had it been since that first day? How long would it be until my last? I drank the water from the lake and felt the coolness of it fill my mind.

"HI Cato" Glimmer said. I looked up and saw her. Her skin was perfect and her hair fell in golden curls down her face. She was smiling- she was happy. I looked back in the water. My reflection stared back at me. My eyes were bloodshot and my face was mad and bloody. Once again I looked up but no perfect glimmer stood there. Instead I saw her swollen and dying body. The stings produced big pussy boils that covered her face and she was crying blood and pointing at me.

"YOU DID THIS!" she screeched. Her voice sounded demonic and evil. The finger pointed at me judgingly and my body froze in sorrow.

"N..No...NO!" I yelled but as she came closer I got up and ran.

"Cato! Don't leave me again! CATO!"

Her voice made me see things. Tall figures came at me… the day turned to night and a loud musical anthem played in the sky. I saw thresh looking at me from above then a red headed girl and the music ceased.

"Help" I cried… but of course there was no one left to answer me.

Glimmer stopped screaming. Cannons kept exploding around me and there was nowhere to run. I curled into a ball and put my hands over my head. Cato calm down… don't panic… you're safe…you're ok. I took deep breathes and tried to remain sane. I smelt the tang of the metal and I was brought back to my normal self. Ok…ok I was good. I stood up and realized how far away I was from anything. I was surrounded by dark towering trees… obviously the tall dark figures. I rubbed my head and sighed. I must have gone mad for a second. I heard a faint pounding around me and I assumed I must have hit my head- but the pounding just grew loader…soon I heard barking and that's when I ran. I looked briefly over my shoulder to see approximately 20 wild mutts chasing after me. I was terrified but I never stopped running. Around thirty meters in front of me I saw the cornucopia and then I saw katniss and peeta- waiting- were they just as crazy too! Why weren't they moving? An arrow went flying into my chest but flicked off the armour. They were stupid to think that I was running at them. I went sprinting in between them and headed straight for the cornucopia. My hands gripped onto the metal and I heaved myself higher up onto its structure. I heard both the district twelve's following me panicking -but before they were up I had collapsed on top of the horn. My breathing was raspy and I was only now suffering the complete agony of exhaustion. Katniss and peeta sat together panting and look at me.

"Should we kill him?" Peeta whispered.

"Not yet" Katniss replied.

'Well why not' I thought 'you could probably kill me in a second if you went for me now…' my brain throbbed and I heard the mutts leaping for the horn- clawing at the base.

"Can they get up here katniss?" peeta asked.

"I don't think so…" She sighed. The three of us sat panting on the cornucopia as the mutts went crazy for our blood below. I breathed in deeply trying to compose myself and keep my energy but every breath just pushed me further and further towards death.

"Their eyes" Katniss said. I turned my attention to her and looked at her wearily.

"They have their eyes!" katniss' voice sounded disgusted and I tried to make sense to what she was saying.

"What do you mean?" peeta asked and katniss made a defeated sound.

"You know what I mean peeta look… The mutts have their eyes… all twenty one of them… Do you think there actually real?" My heart sank. She meant the tributes. The twenty one dead tributes. The capitol had made the mutts…clones of the tributes…that meant that glim…Her eyes. Peeta shuffled further up the horn in disgust and it was too little too late for him. I lashed out for his neck and held him in a headlock at the end of the horn. Katniss yelped in fear and pulled back her bow. I felt the blood from my face wound ooze down my face.

"Shoot!" I taunted "He'll go down with me and you know it" Now I wasn't acting for cameras. I wasn't trying to be tough. I'd truly just had enough…

"Shoot… And we'll both go…" I tried to laugh but blood gargled in my throat.

"I can still do it you know… one last kill… to bring glory to my district" I waited to see how she'd respond but she just stared at me. I felt peeta attempt to free himself under my arm but it wasn't working. He made a sign on the back of my hand and I peered helplessly to look at it. It was a target. The arrow flew into my hand and I stumbled backwards crying out in pain. My feet ran forwards but my body fell back. I felt the air leaving my lungs as I hit the floor and I gasped for air. I was badly winded and I couldn't keep silent. That's why the mutts heard me… At first it all seemed blurry but then I recognised what katniss was talking about. As if time had stopped a drooling creature came toppling over me barking and snarling into my eyes. Its long curly golden hair was hanging over my face and its emerald eyes dug into my soul. Glimmer. The dog had her eyes. Glimmer roared in my face and dug her teeth into my flesh- the unbearable pain was only the beginning. Trying to explain how it feels to have 21 sets of teeth tearing at your flesh is almost as hard to describe as explaining a new colour. It was the most agonising and unbearable experience. I screamed kicking and slashing my sword in the air. One hit the red headed girl who barked back and whimpered out of the chaos. Marvel tried taking off my arms and I moaned and yelled my pain as I scrambled away from him. Faces…so many faces…

Thresh leapt at my face but I managed to stab his left shoulder and he recoiled barking at the others. Clove appeared and started to maul at my chest. The armour stopped her from getting my vital organs but her teeth still tore through my flesh. I couldn't yell out words anymore- my voice had lost itself in this never ending torture. Why wouldn't it end? Why didn't it stop? I was crying and screaming and attacking but nothing I could do could help me now. A smaller mutt with glossy brown fur dug its teeth into my ankle almost tearing it off but I smashed it in the nose and tried to crawl away. The grass around me was red with my blood and I felt another attempt from a mutt too rip off my limbs. I slashed weakly at its face but it just clashed against the metal. Glimmer, marvel, clove, thresh, rue, finch, district three and several other mutts chased my tiny shell of a body under the cornucopia, Lunging for the revealed parts of my body. It never ended. I wish I could say that I died quickly and everything was peaceful… but I didn't…and it wasn't. The night went by and I was still kicking and crying and wishing to die. Katniss peered at me over the edge and I knew what to do. With the remaining energy I had I put all of my mental strength into that one word. But it was most definitely the most important word I'd ever said in my life. I looked at katniss.

"Please" I cried.

The dogs mauled away at my arms and an arrow went mercifully flying into my skull.

A Cannon fired… and I was free.

That was until I woke up of course….


	11. Chapter 11 Untill death do us part

**Chapter eleven- District thirteen- Cato's P.O.V:**

Hospital lights made me squint and I weakly tried to turn my head around trying to get the picture of where I was. A heart rate monitor beeped behind me and I saw various tubes and wires sticking out me.

Where the hell was I? I kept my head on the pillow and tried to stay calm. Faint voices spoke in front of me.

"Is she awake?" they said. "The girl from district one…Glimmer? Is it?"

My mind blew. I bolted up in the bed glaring at these three men surrounding one clipboard. My feet shot from the bed and I tore the tubes from my body.

"Where is she." I snarled.

The three men cowered back and I grabbed the one with the clipboard by the collar.

"WHERE IS SHE?" I screamed. He feebly pointed to the door.

"D-down the c-corridor…third on the left." He stuttered.

I pushed him into the wall and headed directly into the hallway. I heard the commotion of doctors behind me but my only attention was for glimmer. I thumped the door open and it slammed into the wall making a violent echo explode around the room. As I marched down the path a figure stood from the other end being assisted by a drunken looking man. The figure was Thresh. We held a gaze for a few moments and finally he started towards me. I wasn't looking for a fight…I was looking for glimmer.

"I've already killed you once thresh- _Drop it" _But the boy kept coming.

I sighed and threw a fist into his face, he stumbled backwards and I ran past him to the third door- desperately I leapt at it and went flying into a ward. I landed on my chest but pushed myself up too see her. And sure enough there she was, sat in bed, scars on her body, her eyes looking into mine. Her jaw dropped and my whole universe went blurry. She was alive…My glimmer was alive and breathing and in front of me.

"Glimmer" my mouth struggled to speak but I knew what I wanted to say. A smile started growing on my face and she laughed as tears filled our eyes. I sprinted to her bed and we crashed into each other blotting out the rest of the room. I wept into her neck and started mumbling words. We squeezed onto each other and breathed in the soft and delicate smells that came from her hair.

"I love you glimmer- I love you- my god I can't-I-you-I just" My words didn't make sense but I didn't seem to matter to her. She tried to smile at me but the tears just kept falling.

"I love you Cato" she cried.

I put my hands on her face and pressed my forehead against her.

I tried to compose myself and pronounce real words but I just shook my head and sighed…Seeing her again… It removed my ability to speak- to think- I just wanted her. I clutched onto her hands and laughed to myself.

"I can't believe your alive" I managed to talk but my voice was so quiet.

"Cato, why are we here…" she put her lips on my knuckles and I lay my head down on the pillow with her thinking for an answer.

"I can tell you that…" We turned around to see a middle aged man staring down at us with several other people around him.

"And who the hell might you be?" I sat up threateningly.

"My name is Plutarch Havensbe; I am the so called current game maker… but also have a key role in district thirteen's rebellion plans… That's where you lot come in…"

Glimmer gasped.

"What do you mean… thirteen?" I looked at them mockingly.

"It's been blown up glim- the idiots obviously don't know that yet…" Plutarch laughed.

"If district thirteen has been blown up then where are you now?" My face dropped and I looked around me. The walls were decorated with thirteen's old symbol and all of the hospital beds had thirteen printed on them.

"How…and why?" I turned my attention back to Havensbe.

"We made a deal with the capitol…to play dead, generally speaking. And if you would like… we can tell you all why you are here and what we need you for."

I looked to glimmer that seemed to be quite scared of this whole situation and I decided to let him talk to us.

"OK then tell us- why are we here?"

"Ha! You are quite the eager one now aren't you? All in good time my boy. But first I think we should get to grips with the rules of this plan hey?" He tilted his head and I stood up to follow.

"Glimmer, come on." I reached for her hand and she feebly got out of bed. She was wearing the same hospital gown as me and her legs and arms were covered in red bruises. It made me gag but I kept a straight face for her. As she stood her knees started to shake.

A doctor came over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok to walk sweetheart or do you want the chair?" glimmer shook her head sadly.

"The chair…"

She looked to the floor and I put her arm over my neck until she was sat down.

"I'll push her" I demanded and the doctor nodded sweetly.

Plutarch smiled ecstatically and we followed him out of the room. His cheerfulness made me sick. Thresh joined the crowd of people and held an ice pack on his cheek but he never looked at me. Glimmer screamed. Everyone turned to look at her- jumping from the previous calm atmosphere.

I bent over.

"Glim are you ok? I-"she silenced me by pushing her way out of the chair.

"MARVEL!" she squealed.

I turned and stood up tall again to see the clumsy oaf come tripping down the corridor.

"Guys!" he smiled.

"Hey marvel." I laughed as he leapt for the both of us.

"Oh my god! Guys i..i cant believe it! I can't ..oh my god!" marvel leapt about in the air and waved his arms about. Me and glimmer laughed but Plutarch came over unimpressed.

"Please- we have been through this once already can we just wait until we get to the rest of them hey?" He folded his arms.

"fine-" I glared at him. And he turned quickly.

I held one of glimmers hands and marvel pushed the chair. The boy just couldn't stop talking- first it was how his neck was still hurting, then how his eyes had miraculously changed colour and then about how he was so confused about district thirteen and he just didn't end it. Usually I'd get fed up with his voice and turn off- but right now- it was like being in heaven to hear his irritating voice again. I patted him on the back with my spare hand and he laughed awkwardly.

"Do you want me to shut up?" he laughed rubbing his neck.

"No! Keep talking! Seriously…don't ever stop again…" I smiled.

"You'll regret that Cato"

Glimmer rubbed marvels hand and put her head on the back of the chair. Marvel stopped talking after that, as we walked into a huge hall with television screens everywhere. Plutarch turned and welcomed the four of us into the room.

"This is command. Welcome. If you'd like to join the others over there and katniss will talk to you all." The three of us shuddered.

_Katniss._

Plutarch pointed us to a crowd of around fifteen people and immediately I recognised them as a few of the tributes from the arena. The red headed girl sat holding onto the small girl from eleven. And district three sat alone staring blankly at the floor. I recognised a few faces that I'd killed myself in the bloodbath.

I looked at marvel. He shrugged.

"Hey Guys" We looked to the back of the seats and clove sat smiling at us saving three seats next to her.

Marvel laughed and ran to meet her, I pushed glimmer and took a seat next to clove. Marvel sat the other side and started to mutter into her ear about his longing to see her. I sniggered to myself at the thought of marvel and clove together but was proven wrong when he kissed her. I looked to glimmer my eyes bulging out my head.

"Did you not know that?" glimmer laughed.

"Ladies and gentlemen can I have your attention please." A woman with a strikingly dark bob walked onto a raised platform in front of us all.

"My name is president coin- I am in charge here at thirteen- And it is my job to lay down the ground rules for you staying here." She pulled out a list of rules and marvel groaned. We all sniggered.

"Firstly, whatever happened in that arena is history, none of you shall hold grudges on each other and there shall be NO fights of any kind. Let me express my words clearly. There shall be No fighting. I can't start to express the importance of that rule and if it is broken by any of you- there shall be severe punishments. Secondly, I am in charge here, After all I am responsible for you…coming back…shall we say, and I am in full ownership of you and anything you do. You do anything I ask of you- no exceptions. Thirdly- I wish for you all to stay in the schedule I have planned for you. Each of you has a reasonably similar diary and it will be printed onto your arm at the start of the day and washed off in evening- you follow exactly what it says. Now katniss Everdeen will be speaking to you with Friends to explain to you clearly what will be happening here. Thank you for your patience."

'President' coin walked off stage. Her droning grey uniform was as immaculate as the rest of her. So far I didn't like my experience here at thirteen. Everyone was so stuck up…Then it got even worse. Katniss made her way of stage her hands moving nervously around her shirt. She looked into the audience and smiled at the small girl.

"Hey rue" She winked.

The girl called rue smiled and shuffled in her chair. I gagged at marvel who put his fist by his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

"So… as you all know- we are no longer in the arena…" The pause was filled with tension and she panicked to carry on.

"And obviously you don't understand why you're here… but sometimes there isn't just an obvious explanation…So first, if you could all please stay patient my friend Beetee will explain the questions on your minds." She nodded to an older man down stage who came up holding a bottle of red liquid.

"One year ago… 22 tributes died in the 74th hunger games. Leaving peeta mellark and katniss Everdeen as the victors- As the games ended, a litre of blood from your bodies was removed and stored in a vast storage room in the capitol. The blood was kept for scientific experiments on animals and biological creations…This sparked an idea for the scientists from thirteen. And in everyday language- a group of our experts broke in to the storage room… and took as many blood containers as possible and made nineteen replica mutts to assist us in the rebellion. You are the mutt replicas of the tributes from the 74th…"

The room fell into a furious silence.

"What?" I laughed. "Were mutt clones of…ourselves?" I stood up angrily.

"Then how come we can think? How come I've got my thoughts and memories?" I yelled.

"Their copies of your memories Cato… Your brain is just acting how it remembers you acted." Beetee nodded to an officer who put me back in my seat. I flinched away from his hands and sulked back into my seat. I felt like Cato… so…did that technically mean I was him… or just a hypnotized experiment who believed to be someone he wasn't. And my feelings for glimmer… Where they real…or just copies.

"Thank you beetee" Katniss smiled at him and re took the position in centre stage.

"Please don't be scared about what he just told you… I know it's a lot to take in but I promise you- you are the same people you were one year ago. I've been through the hunger games twice and have experienced Snow's evil countless times… District twelve has been bombed… Nothing is left there. Very few people survived. All of your families are safe and alive thanks to research put out by beetee and the crew. But not all districts are sure about helping us with the rebellion. All of you…died for nothing… all of you died in vain. We brought you back, and now were not just asking but pleading you. Please- somewhere inside you- can you find the desire to help- to go back to your districts and to be televised nationwide, to convince your people to join this rebellion and end this in justice? Why should anyone die in vain-? Please… whatever your feelings are for me, for district thirteen… can't you find it in yourselves to help our cause? We are no longer enemies- but mistreated citizens of Panem. Please. I will leave you for a few hours to get settled into your temporary living quarters. Then I will come over to…see how you're getting on- and im sorry to all of you" She left the stage and all of the tributes stood up.

"If you would follow me please" A woman led the way and all of us followed. Me, Clove, Marvel and glimmer lagged behind and looked at each other keeping our expressions as neutral as possible.

"So, another rebellion hey…" Clove said and linked arms with Marvel.

"What will we do?" Marvel said.

I pushed glimmer forward in the chair and my mind went fuzzy.

"I don't know…" I said. The others went quiet and followed the crowd.

"I want to fight" Glimmer said.

We all worked away in our thoughts glimmers words hanging in our ears.

I wanted to just shut my eyes and wake up in district two like it was all some crazy dream before the reaping… but walking behind the children I'd murdered seemed to keep the dream just a little bit too real.

"I think we all do glim" I replied.

"But that's not the problem Cato… of course we would want to fight… But what about district two? What about home?" Clove said.

And then the words I'd been dreading crept up inside my mouth and practically bled out of my lips.

"It's not our home anymore_- It was their home_- but we are not them- are we? We are mutts and nothing more…" The others shivered at the truth in my words.

"Cato, Were not mutts…" Glimmer said.

"Yes we are glimmer…" I spat. "Were just machines… heartless, meaningless machines…" the others didn't speak to me for the rest of the walk to our living quarters. My fake heart sank in my chest. And I walked off alone. Wishing I'd never woken up.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve- Cato's P.O.V

(Please do not take to the racist comment offensively- just a bit of Cato/thresh banter please don't be offended in any way! I really don't mean anything )

I sat on the bed throwing screwed up paper into a bin.

Glimmer, Marvel and clove had been ignoring me but I guess they've stopped now because they're all waiting next to me watching the scraps fly through the air and land.

"Cato im hungry" Clove said

"Don't care- Wait till the others come back." I replied.

"Cato, were all hungry" Glimmer looked at me disapprovingly and I sighed.

"I am not sitting with them- so wait till they come back." I stopped throwing and got up to argue but the others had already started going.

"Cato, please come" Glimmers eyes fixed on mine and my guts twisted. I shouldn't listen to her, but I did. I didn't answer her though; I just followed sulking behind them all. We walked past the grey walls of district thirteen and I longed to be above ground. The smell of processed food plagued my nose and I felt like hurling as the stench grew stronger. As we walked in to the canteen the chatter dulled a little and all eyes became gradually aware of our presence. We took a tray and got some brown coloured mush placed on our plates. A lump grew in my throat but I kept it down. As the four of us walked into the seating area my fears started to become true. All seats were taken but five. Those five seats were located with all of the other tributes including my favourites…Thresh, Katniss and the all of their stinking little friends. In the arena we were their bosses but here we were the outcasts of their group.

"Where do we sit" Clove said- the recognition in her voice was clearly visible. I groaned and made my way to their table. We sat as far away as possible, me and Clove on one side Glimmer and Marvel on the other. As we sat I heard Thresh's laughter blot the background noise.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't sit here?" He sniggered.

I held my anger down and clenched my fists.

"Oh? And why not?" I grinned. But inside I was burning.

"Because you, and messed up friends, practically killed half of us!" His voice was changing and I felt the tension building. I glared at him but tried not to show my fury.

"Actually, we killed 'Most' of you" I smirked.

"You're a freak!" Thresh yelled and Slammed his fist on the table- the room fell silent.

"Well you're black, and I don't see anyone here complaining?" I sniggered but I knew I'd gone too far when I saw thresh stand up in anger.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" He yelled and threw himself at me over the table. We smashed into each other and went wrestling onto the ground.

"You Bastard!" He screamed.

I punched him in the neck and flung him off me making him collide into the table. Two of thirteen's soldiers came and held us apart, Thresh struggled and kicked but I just stood up wiping the blood from my lip.

"Lunatic" I muttered and sat back down.

Thresh took a deep sigh and talked to the officer- and within a few minutes he was sat back down. The others on the table remained as quiet as death but the rest of the room went back to their conversations. I looked at him and we both froze in complete hatred at each other.

"You're sick Cato…in the head… and if I were them I'd have you locked up or something." He spat.

"Hey look I didn't start this fight! Snow did! And if you really want to blame someone- blame him!" I could feel the bitterness in my voice.

"And you murdered clove- so it's not like your perfect anyway…"

Thresh gave me a vicious glare and moved his face closer to mine.

"I killed her because she killed rue- And actually this will never end Cato because the cycle will just keep on going" My heartstrings tightened.

"Actually- I was behind rues death…" Marvel whimpered but glimmer shut him up quickly.

"No one told you to murder her? It's not like they had a gun to your head- you wanted too- so actually you're no better than me!" I snapped and His face dropped.

"You're right- But I suppose in the arena- none of us were very human were we? Now just lay off it alright creep?" The other tributes looked down at the thought of the arena but I still blazed inside.

"I didn't start this- I just sat at the table- so if you think im such a creep then just ignore us and sit somewhere else." I stuck a spoonful of the brown mulch in my mouth and it went down like cement. Thresh turned away from me then and started complaining to the others but the little kid kept staring. Her name was Rue, I think, and she wouldn't look away from us. She wasn't angry she just looked upset.

"Hey rue sweetie" Katniss came over and I looked at the others laughing.

"Could this day get any better?" My head fell into my hands and I muttered under my breath. My temper was rising and rising- this wasn't me- I wanted to be myself again- my emotionally stable and strong hearted self.

"Hey Cato its ok- its ok" Glimmer sighed putting her fake hands onto my cheek. That's when it blew again. I stood in madness and screamed at her

"IM NOT CATO! IM NOT HIM! STOP CALLING ME THAT!" I stormed off angrily and as soon as I was out of the room I wailed. If anyone had heard me they probably would've classified me as insane

I plodded off sadly and mulled over the whole experience so far. To be wholly honest- it was worse than the arena.

I traced my fingers along the wall and its dry paint scratched against my fingers.

"Don't be angry with me" She said and I didn't even bother looking at her.

"Im not angry at you- im sorry- I just don't feel real glimmer, it's so hard for me to get my head around this." I looked behind me and her face was gripped with concern.

"And you don't think it's hard for us too? ... Cato…" I flinched at my name.

"We all feel how you do, and surely, being here with me is what you want. Or do you not want to?"

"Don't be stupid of course I do it's just…" my mouth lost its words.

"It's just what Cato? Im not hot enough for you anymore? What? Do scars make you hate me?" She reached out a hand and grabbed mine.

"Cato, your blood is still the same as his; so are your thoughts and your feelings! You're exactly the same Cato- If you weren't- then you couldn't be capable of getting this complicated!" she smiled warmly.

And I felt as if a huge burden had been torn off me.

"You really think so?" I said.

"Yes I do." She smiled.

"Glimmer, I love you," The words that had taken so long to say felt like the easiest in the world at this moment.

"I love you too Cato" She smiled. I held her face and kissed her. Every doubt I'd ever had about 'not being real' completely vanished.

As long as I had her, I was the same Cato as I was one year ago, And as long as I loved her, nothing could ever bring me down again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: Marvels P.O.V

Cato stormed off with glimmer tailing behind him. I awkwardly looked at clove who was attempting to eat the brown mulsh.

Then I glimpsed over briefly to see all of the others were glaring at us. Suddenly I became incredibly self-conscious.

"Hey marvel…" The boy from district three smiled quickly at me. It felt rude to ask him for his name now so I just nodded.

"Hey" I said.

"Jason, don't talk to them" Thresh hit the boys arm and he blocked us from then on.

I forced down the mush as quickly as possible and then as clove finished we stood up to leave.

"Hey freaks-"Thresh said "coin wants to see us in an hour- all of us" he gestured to the table.

"Tell sicho and his girl to be there."

I nodded and left quickly holding cloves hand in mine.

"There such brats" Clove said pulling my hand onto her cheek.

"Ha- you can say that again- but…I mean…we did kill them…don't you feel a little guilty?" My voice was snapped off by her ironic laughter.

"Marvel they all deserved what they got." My spine shivered.

"No clove…in the arena it didn't matter who we killed… but here I just feel like im some kind of criminal murderer."

I wanted to sit down to prevent us from meeting up with Cato again but she didn't seem like she was going to stop walking.

"Marvel you're talking like a mad man, they deserved to die." Clove looked at her feet and pulled her hand out of mine.

"No they didn't!" I snapped. "What so you're saying that when I died- when glimmer died we deserved it!" I put my hands on her shoulders to stop her from walking.

"Clove, isn't it easier to just drop the grudge and get on with the others?" She refused to look at me.

"No marvel, Cato would never allow that." She timidly tried to push me away but I held her in place.

"So what! So what if Cato doesn't allow it! We're not in the games clove? We're not playing follow the leader anymore!" She shook her head and tried pushing away again.

"Clove! For god's sake! What's got into you?" She gave me a dark stare.

"Me?" she said "ME! It's you that's being stupid! It's you who's changed! You didn't care who you killed! They are all just insects marvel! Why can't you see that?"

She slapped my arm but I wasn't letting her go.

"THEIR HUMANS CLOVE!" I yelled "WHERES YOUR EMOTIONS GONE? DID YOU LEAVE THEM IN THE ARENA?" She punched me in the face and I went falling back into the other side of the hall.

"NO I DIDN'T LEAVE THEM MARVEL! IM JUST KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM IDIOTS LIKE YOU!" She sprinted off crying and I rubbed my cheek miserably.

"Need a hand?" Jason (or three) walked over and looked down at me. I snorted and rolled my eyes but he still held his hand out.

"Fine" I sighed and grabbed onto his wrist. He pulled me up and I towered over him laughing.

"I forgot how small you are." I smirked.

"I remember how tall you are" he said.

"So…about the arena…" I rubbed my neck as the vivid images ran through my brain.

"Don't worry about it, its history." He then turned and pointed to a dimly lit corridor.

"Thresh is waiting with the others in there, coin is giving us jobs to do, Are your friends coming?" The mention of 'my friends' made me gag with worry but I tried to brush it off changing my line of thought quickly.

"I don't know kid, maybe later…" he smiled.

"See you soon marvel." He ran off into the dark corridor and I sighed and pulled my hair out of my forehead. 'Yeah' I thought. 'Later'

Slowly I turned on my heel and made my way to our living quarters. My body went wild with worry wondering if clove was going to murder me now or in the night. I wished she would just understand. As my door came into view Cato opened it and smiled.

"Hey marvel, you ready to go meet thresh and his pals?" He walked up to me laughing and fake slapped my face.

"Clove's staying with glimmer so we might as well go now" he laughed. "don't really want to talk about clothes- do you?" I nodded sarcastically.

"God yeah!" Cato laughed and got me in a headlock.

"Come on bud, let's go" He walked with me still stuck in a headlock.

"Hey, now I see why glimmer could start to like it down here." He let go of me instantly and we both smiled.

"You poof" he laughed.

As we walked down into dark, dingy corridor I started panicking that clove would try to turn glimmer and Cato against me- but then I shook it off again and decided to talk to Cato about it.

"Cato- you're a guy…" I said.

"No, really?" he laughed.

"Shut up! I mean…you know about girls right?" I heard him laugh and grew embarrassed.

"No- not really- I know about glimmer…" he smirked "why?"

"Well…it's just… c…clove and me had a." Cato fell into hysterics.

"Ha-ha! I knew it! I knew you and clove had it on! I so totally knew it!" He patted me hard in the back and I choked out a laugh.

"Well kind of…but we just fell out." Cato aww'd me and I stared at him unimpressed.

"What you do?" he asked.

"What? Why do you think it was me?" I exasperated.

"Oh come on marvel? Like you know how to be a ladies man?" he sniggered. But he was right. I sucked with girls and stuff. The last time I'd ever tried flirting with someone she thought I was gay…That's why I tended to stick with glimmer. She was never too loud or arrogant she was perfect. And she knew I was straight- which was a big bonus. And clove… It hurt to think about her because I was so mad.

"Well she started it this time…" I moaned.

"Fine stroppy, what did she do?"

"She thinks that all of the people we killed- were worthless- like insects, they didn't matter if we killed them or not. I just feel…a bit guilty now that it's over." Cato laughed.

"Ha-ha good one marvel, you guilty? What next? Thresh is gentle? Seriously what's the problem?" he thought I was joking. So I played along.

"Oh she's just being stupid and sensitive- but you know what it doesn't matter" inside I knew he wouldn't of agreed and I didn't want another argument. At the end of the dismal hall President Coin waited with two armed soldiers waiting by her sides.

"Welcome marvel and Cato- where are the other two?" she asked.

"Glimmers weak-Cloves looking after her." Cato's voice had completely changed. That squeaky, jokey laugh had morphed into a solemn and serious growl. Coin nodded.

"Come inside" We followed her into another large room with weapons piled in huge stacks all around us.

I nudged Cato at the memory of our first meeting and he got it instantly -whispering.

"I take dibs on the tall kid" I sniggered quietly but stopped when coin came up in our faces sharply.

"Now look here, I don't want any more fights ok? I say it how it is and if you break it once more- we will have to restrain you." she glared at us and we both nodded.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes we do." Cato said and folded his arms across his chest.

"Good, now we've settled that please go and join the others." He hesitated but then made his way to the pack. Thresh glared at him. I punched Cato in the arm to distract him and we both walked into an isolated corner near the rest of them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow, we will be transporting some of our team into district eight to visit their rebel squad and interact with their people. Some of us will obviously not be capable for being an armed soldier in our cause but some may be more use in the medical and comforting side of our missions. Without getting competitive please would you show some of our officers your skills and techniques. Individually or in small groups we will call you up and give you a role. As for the six people who didn't come to join us- their roles will become more visible later. This leaves the remaining thirteen of you to show us the best of your abilities." Coin gave us a nod and we all started to scatter. I moaned and walked to the spears automatically. I picked them up hurling each one into my target.

"That's how you killed me" a small voice blurted out behind me and I turned to see Rue looking sadly into my eyes.

"Why did you do it?" she asked. My throat tightened and I felt as if I were about to be sick.

"W-wh-well it was katniss I was trying to kill- I – I didn't specifically want you to die…" thresh came over and looked from her to me.

"Is he giving you trouble?" Thresh said.

Rue shook her head and looked at me.

"Do you feel bad? Because you killed people?" Rue said,

Thresh looked up judgingly.

"What…did i…well not at first but now im not too sure what i…yeah…." I turned back around the guilt that had been filling inside me finally letting itself out.

"Yeah I do" I said.

I hurled a spear into a dummy and thresh came beside me.

"The little kid told me she thought you were different, I guess she was right." He grabbed a spear off me and threw it. One of the dummies impaled into a wall and I laughed.

"Thresh, were all different in real life, im just the weakest one out of them all…"

I heard Cato running over and broke away from Thresh. Cato was holding five dummy heads and had a large sword on his back.

"Her marvel come look at this!" he yelled and I ran off quickly to his side.

"What you find?" I asked and Cato held up a large steel battleaxe.

"Holy cow- she's beautiful!" I laughed.

"You wanna touch her?" Cato mockingly held it out and I lunged to feel for the smooth ebony handle. It felt like silk in a weapon.

"How could an axe that beautiful end up in here?" I laughed.

"I don't know, but look what she can do" Cato hurled the axe at a target wall and the top end vanished into the plaster.

"Im in love" we laughed.

A microphone crackled and interrupted us.

"Could Cato, Marvel and Thresh please make your way to the front entrance- thank you"

The voice silenced and Cato groaned.

"Looks like were with monster boy"

I didn't say anything. We walked to the entrance and coin and Plutarch and another two men were stood in the doorway.

"Hello boys, as you're all aware we've been assessing your capability and it gives us great pleasure to ask you to assist with our rebel fighters. We know you're already very 'experienced' in the art of fighting but we doubt it will be very necessary for tomorrow's expedition. So if you would please, go with Boggs and Finnick to go over some vital precautions." Cato nudged me and we walked off with Finnick and Boggs who both looked pretty genuine people to me.

"Hey guys, im Finnick, there's nothing much to tell you all except to stay in your place- don't leave anyone behind and back each other up- like your allies- which I know will be pretty difficult saying as-" Boggs interrupted.

"All of you are now members of district thirteen's beginning fighting squad. Your here to protect our side and of course protect our mockingjay- katniss- I don't want any crap from you so please just ditch the past and start your new life here. Katniss will be visiting the hospital and recording footage for other districts to watch- bit by bit were getting closer to bringing snow down- and the last thing we need is a couple of kids fighting each other in our canteen. Is that ok with you all."

We all nodded and I gave a brief glimpse to Thresh to see if things were really cool or if he was still furious. He wasn't showing anything.

"Now you lot just-talk amongst yourselves- I got to do something."

Finnick ran off to greet a smallish girl in the distance, her hair was lying on her shoulders in sharp ringlets and she had a sort of glazed look in her eyes.

"That's Annie Cresta" Boggs said, he turned to see how uninterested we were and went off to join katniss.

"Sooo…us three." Cato clicked his knuckles.

"Don't start anything Cato- im not going to beat you again." As Cato turned to retaliate the microphone crackled again.

"Could Jason and Finch please report to beetee and Hazel and Maree please to Johanna."

Jason and a red headed girl ran over to the nerdy looking man named beetee where two other girls went to a fierce woman in her twenties named Johanna.

"There are so many people to remember…" I said pitifully as I ran through them all. Being dead for a year sure makes you miss out on a lot of things. Obviously I recognised the nerd and the vicious woman from previous games but I knew nothing about them at all. I recognised Finnick and Annie the most though- I think Annie's the one that went mad after winning.

"Hey Thresh" Katniss waved and ran over I could see Cato's blood boiling.

"Are you three with Boggs tomorrow?" thresh nodded and then rolled his eyes at us.

"Unfortunately yeah." He sighed.

"Don't worry; you'll be with my friend gale too, and Finnick is great once you get to know him. Oh and don't worry about the others I promise you they'll be safe. Im not letting Rue out of my sight" she smiled and then looked at us.

"Please, don't start a fight, this isn't the arena … and no one really wants to remember you as a threat so just…stay calm…"

I nodded but found it hard to look her in the eye…after all she ended my life for ending Rue's and I was still guilty as ever. I looked to Cato who was just glaring at her.

"Thank you for ending it…" he said,

She nodded to show she understood and walked away.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it…" The three of us went silent.

"So…I'll see you tomorrow then…" I said looking at thresh.

"Yeh- see you then"

He walked off leaving me and Cato awkwardly standing alone. I didn't know whether to speak first or just stand there waiting.

"Night marvel" Cato nodded at me "Im going back now so…see you in the morning" He walked away looking like he did when katniss came over and I wondered what was plaguing his mind. I never had time to think about how Cato and Clove died…or Thresh…My mind was just so busy lately.

"Hey, marvel is it?" The red head came over and reached out a hand.

"Im Finch" she half smiled and I shook her hand.

"Im…marvel…but you already knew that so hey-What are you doing tomorrow then? With Jason?" I asked.

"Oh… well we both know a little about surviving- Jason's more of a scientist though…"

It felt rude to ask her but I had the desire to find out.

"How did the rest of you die…after I did?" She gave me a shocked glance and opened her mouth a little.

"That's an awful thing to ask?" she said and I suddenly realised it was.

"Oh god sorry- it just came out- I really didn't mean it!"

She shook her head

"No, I guess you need to know… Clove had her head smashed in by Cato, Cato killed thresh after that…I committed suicide…" the horrific pause lasted too long.

"It wasn't a bad way to go, I ate night lock…after I realised there was no way I'd win…"

"Oh my gosh im sorry-"I reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

"I mean at least I was killed incidentally I mean it must be terrible to know you will kill yourself…" she nodded

"I know… it is… but im safe now so I guess there's nothing left to dwell on."

The next thing that happened was purely friendly… nothing had any meaning behind it but I reached out my arms and hugged her. As I held her she burst out laughing.

"What the hell was that for?" she asked.

"I don't know- im just lonely I guess."

"But what about Cato, Glimmer and clove?" she pulled away and looked up sympathetically.

"Don't get me wrong…those guys are like family to me…just not one of them understands my guilt… I mean glimmer might… but Clove and Cato were trained for this…" I felt my sorrow building up stronger and stronger and the next thing I know im throwing up on the floor. Finch helped me get back to our dorm and I practically collapsed into my bed. She lay me down and walked back to her bed. Cato was asleep and clove was ignoring me but glimmer came over and sat on my bed with me.

"You ok sweetie?" she asked stroking my hair.

"No" I said.

She didn't say much more but she lay down with me and held on as tight as she could.

"You're going to district eight tomorrow, right?" she asks.

"Yeah" I replied.

"Well make sure you stay out of trouble." She innocently kissed me on the eyelid and I drifted off into a deep sleep.

I wished clove could understand me…I wish she would know how I felt.

Sleep took me in his wings and helped me escape my problems- then it made them worse.

Glimmer screams for help but I keep running.

I spear Rue angrily.

An arrow stabs my windpipe.

"I love you clove" I said

"I love you too" she laughed.

Her head smashes in front of me.

Cato kills thresh.

Finch kills herself.

The forest melts.

I woke up.

Temporary Message to readers:

Sorry that no more can be posted- but im going on holiday! Please be patient and as soon as I get back I'll continue writing- thank you! Have a good summer-

Beefpie x


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14- Cato's P.O.V

"Wake up soldiers- Busy day- Not much time"

Boggs stood over my bed and I aggressively pulled the duvet over my face.

"Come on special-K get up" He tore the covers off and I shuddered as the air hit me.

"Cato-move it-Were not waiting for you."

I sighed and kicked my legs out of bed.

Today, I was going on my first mission assisting district thirteen to bring down the capitol, hopefully I'd be allowed to be in a genuine battle as the war progressed.

As I stretched my back I saw marvel feebly attempting to get up.

"Not as easy as it looks" he laughed.

I gave him a smirk and nodded my head sarcastically.

"Having problems marvel?" I sniggered as he was heaved up by Boggs.

"Move it people- You have twenty minutes maximum then meet us up by the docking station." Boggs nodded at me curtly and walked out of our dormitory.

"Ok guys, better hurry it up" Said a tall man sleeping opposite us.

The room that the remaining tributes had been sleeping in had also been shared with some of the' top-dog' soldiers who seemed to know the repeating schedule like the back of their hands. I wearily plodded to get my fresh grey uniform out of the wardrobe when glimmer came and linked my arm.

"I love you… stay with marvel and look after each other- ok?" she smiled at me and my knees melted. She was still the same beautiful glimmer, her skin was obviously a lot paler and her body still had the faint discoloured circle scars, but she was so beautiful.

"I love you too-you know that don't you? Because…you really are everything that I have now…" I put a hand on her neck and ran my fingers in her hair.

She smiled and shook her head.

"You're not everything to me; you're much much more than that" She winked and smiled and made me smirk.

"Kiss me" She said.

I looked around me jokingly to make sure no one was watching and then pressed my lips against hers. Warmth flooded threw me and I felt her breath tickling my eyes it made me laugh and she pulled away almost snorting.

"WHAT!" she laughed.

I opened my mouth to reply but Boggs' yelling voice commanded me away.

I winked at her and threw my jacket over my shoulders.

"Hey Cato" marvel called and waved over at me, still pulling up his trousers.

I bit my lip as I saw how ridiculous he looked. Saying as district thirteen never wasted anything they'd given him a uniform that could fit Thresh.

"Marvel, I think you brought a size too big" I joked and pulled the baggy shirt at least a metre away from him.

He looked at me unimpressed and slapped my hand away.

"Are you ready" He said bitterly.

"Course" I folded my arms and looked at him mockingly.

"I hate you-" he said.

"Haha- really?" I nudged his arm and clove came running over straight past Boggs.

"Bye Cato!" she said and wrapped her arms around me. I held her tightly and shoved her off when Boggs came marching over.

"If you please, Boys come with me, we need to escort soldier Everdeen into our hovercraft." I looked at Marvel and rolled my eyes but he wasn't looking at me.

Marvel stared at clove who seemed to be completely avoiding his gaze. Maybe this was pretty serious- I just never knew marvel could let her get this angry with him. Clove leant over to him and put her lips close to his ear.

"Stop playing with the enemy marvel- or are we nothing to you anymore- don't pretend you don't know- you're just trying to fit in with the wrong crowd." She pulled away and looked into his eyes longingly then she turned off immediately and walked out the room with glimmer. I pretended that I hadn't heard her and just tried to look as chuffed as I was before. But as a matter of fact I was furious that I didn't know what she was talking about.

We followed Boggs without speaking to one another. Thresh stood next to marvel and another five men stood beside me. After what seemed like days of walking we reached a large metallic chamber with around seven capitol hovercrafts sleeping in their stations- Then katniss strolled in, her eyes itchy with lack of sleep.

"Katniss" Boggs smiled.

She greeted him in a giant feathered suit of armour- Obviously built around her whole 'mockingjay' thing saying as the feathers were black and white. She walked off and I immediately realized why we were here. The softer districts could see a bird outfit and give their lives for its cause… but district two? One? No…they would need a lot more than some fancy costume…they'd need there tributes...I wondered if marvel had the same thought but I was abruptly interrupted by the shoving and pointing to get me into the hovercraft. They guided me to a white seat by the window and I gladly took it, peering outside to see what could be seen from my viewpoint. A Giant opening in the ceiling started to move to the sides making a clear path for the hovercraft to take off on. As the roof moved, sunlight came flooding in the room. My eyes squinted and I looked through my fingers as the giant heap of metal propelled itself off the floor. Sunlight dazzled around us, making my head throb with the sudden change of scenery.

Marvel sat opposite me with thresh and we all looked amazed as district thirteen closed back into the soil and vanished from sight.

"It's a clever place- thirteen- playing dead for all these years…they've managed just fine" I say, as the hovercraft propels its way into the clouds.

Boggs came towards us and started to give us the briefing- he went on about all the old classic rules- number one: stay together, number two: never leave a man behind, Number 3:Make sure we are in the camera footage helping people and looking respectable and blah-de-blah-de-blah…. I rolled my eyes and put my head in my hands.

"You better have paid attention soldier… any of you get out of hand- you will be punished." I peeped up to see him glaring at me.

"Got it"

I smiled sweetly and he stormed off.

"I mean seriously- how old does he think I am? It's not like we front row of a battle- were going to take some pretty pictures of katniss hugging children I mean how low can we get…" I moaned and looked to marvel for support but he was just laughing.

"Cato, you never know when you might bump into some rabid children these days, better to be safe than sorry" He smiled and I shook my head smirking.

"You're an idiot" I smiled.

"I know!" he smiled back.

We waited for a couple of hours in that hovercraft- chatting and occasionally making funny remarks. But by the time we landed in district eight I was bored as hell. The landing lights flashed above my head, but I chose to ignore them. I peered out of my window to see the tiny figures of people developing as we neared the ground. I felt a harsh thud and a dust cloud blocked my view.

"District of textiles right?" I asked.

"Ohh yeah! This will be FUN!" marvel replied- his face lacking any positive emotion.

"Oh come on wuss-puss, you can make pretty sewing patterns!" I joked.

Marvel slapped his hands on his cheeks and faked a gasp of surprise.

"CAN I!" he squeaked.

Me and thresh laughed but stopped after are gaze locked in some flick of anger.

"Alright people- let's move out- go directly to your given destination as soon as you are told" Boggs walked straight out with Katniss- and the cameras followed them absorbing every ounce of their bodies. As the idiots trailed out- Me, Thresh and marvel were escorted to the entrance of district eights hospital.

We casually waited outside and watched katniss and the rest of them walk inside. A few young children and civilians came over and stared at us.

I felt like waving sarcastically but apparently we had a reputation to uphold.

I nodded at them warmly and looked away the irritation eating away inside of me.

The three of us looked around humming a tune or whistling along. I was insanely bored again, how could they call this a mission? We were waiting outside a hospital for katniss to come out with her OTT camera crew.

"That's a wrap" I heard a voice say from inside.

'Thank god it is' I thought.

After another agonisingly slow minuet katniss made her exit. She came out her head held high smiling at the crowd of children that bothered me so much. Boggs gestured his hand for us to follow and we trailed behind. The heat in the air made my skin prickle and I rubbed my arms to remove the weird sensation. But it didn't go away.

A rumbling grew in my head like the aggressive buzzing of tracker jackers and it grew louder and louder. I looked into the cloudy sky but nothing was there. We stopped walking and katniss and Boggs turned around.

"What's wrong?" he said.

I shrugged still looking in the sky.

"Probably nothing" I sighed.

An explosion of fire threw me into a brick wall a good few meters to my left. I spat out blood on the floor, shock gripping me. Another explosion went off and hundreds of capitol bomber planes came rapidly over our heads.

"Shit!" I screamed "Run!"

I got to my feet immediately to see katniss scaling a nearby wall and Boggs falling to the floor with what looked like a broken nose. I didn't stop to help I just kept running.

The sound of a building tumbled behind me made me sprint even faster.

"Cato!" marvels voice coughed behind me.

I stopped and span on my heel to come face to face with the wild looking marvel.

"Where's thresh!" he yelled

My complexion faded.

"Who cares!" I yelled again over the sound of complete chaos.

"Cato! We can't leave him to die! No man left behind!" Marvel grabbed my arm.

I rolled my eyes and groaned.

"Ok-where is he?" I yelled.

Marvel had already run back into the fire and I followed begrudgingly.

"Thresh" He screamed. And we looked in every opening we could.

But still no sign of him, Smoke started to block our vision and my head felt heavy and sick.

"Cato! Over here!" I heard a frantic cracking and saw what must be Thresh's body squirming under a burning beam of a building. I sprinted over and placed my hands on the scorching metal- it hurt like hell- but we lifted the heap of metal high enough for thresh to scramble out. By now I couldn't hear anything except the on-going explosions of the capitols bombs. Thresh stood up with a seeping burn of his chest.

"Let's keep going" Thresh cried. But I couldn't exactly hear him. The three of us charged through the roaring flames into a large opening. My watering eyes felt a whoosh of relief as the clean air hit them.

"To the hovercraft! Now!" I pointed to the giant ship and ran as fast as I could. My thighs stung like crazy but there was nothing that could make me stop now.

Then I heard the biggest explosion of them all burst into life directly behind me. I went hurtling forward my face grinding along the dirt. Very slowly I tried to sit up, there was blood pouring out of my nose and my wrist had been twisted in an inhuman direction.

"Oh my god "Thresh said.

I turned around to see thresh cradling Marvel- or what was left of him.

The boy lay on the floor in some sort of Spasm with half of his right leg missing. Pieces of shrapnel were petruding out of his right arm and body- the most obvious was a large jolt of metal going diagonally into his ribcage. Blood was draining from him unrealistically fast.

"G-Get him to the ship" I snapped.

My body moved quicker than my mind did.

'I've let you die before marvel…im not letting you go again…' I thought to myself.

I grabbed his upper body and thresh took his left leg and right thigh and together we almost flew towards the ship. Marvel was still screaming and crying in his fit so we tried not to touch the wounded parts of his body…but that was pretty hard when almost all of him was wounded. We got into range and a ladder came down and air lifted us into the protection of the hovercraft. As soon as the floor was sealed I saw just how many people were waiting for us. Plutarch stood in front of us, his pupils shrinking, and behind him coin and Boggs were gathering numerous doctors.

"For god's sake help him!"

I screamed and stood to my feet in anger, which almost made me shriek in pain, because only then did I see the shard of metal piercing my leg. The doctors reacted quickly to my fury and around thirty different people lifted marvel onto a hospital bed and ran intio the wards.

"Cato" Boggs said, moving towards me to calm me down.

I brushed him off viciously and sprinted off towards marvel. I followed the bed down the corridor and walked into glimmer and clove.

"Cato, where are you going?" Clove said she reached out a hand but I pushed past her.

Why wouldn't people just leave me alone? Marvels bed was rushed into the A&E room and another ten or so people ran in with me to join him.

Large doses of morphling were injected into his body, and I made my way to join his side. He still looked in utter agony as they began to remove the shrapnel and every time he squealed my fist clenched a little harder.

"He can still feel it" said a small voice.

Everybody turned to look at Rue and Thresh coming in the door. Clove and Glimmer followed them inside and both of them gasped in horror.

"What sweetheart? Look we are really busy and we seriously do not have time for…" the doctor shut up as Rue and thresh brought out a glass of this herbal water.

"He needs this" Rue said and held it out. "I promise it works, we use it all the time in eleven." The doctors cautiously took it from her and examined the bottle.

"Will it work?" they said.

"Well it's not like you've got much choice is it!" I snarled.

Without another word the liquid was poured into marvels screaming mouth. For a second he seemed to gag on the stuff but then his breathing slowed and his eye lids shut and he actually seemed calm.

I looked to thresh and rue gratefully and nodded. They seemed to understand and then watched as the doctors pulled the shards out of his body. Another five doctors bandaged the stump of his leg and prevented any further bleeding. I felt two hands tentatively grab on to my shoulders and I heard both of their owners sobbing helplessly.

"I…I…is he-o-k-kay…" Glimmer stammered and sniffed and put her cheek on my arm.

"I think he'll be ok soon…" I lied. I didn't think he'd be ok at all, I thought he was going to die any minute and leave us all in a state of depression and insanity for the rest of our days.

"Soon" I said again.

"He-h-h-hates me n-now…." Clove sniffed and knelt down beside him. She rested her chin by his hands and kissed his blood stained knuckles. She kept whispering things into his battered skin and then I put my lips into glimmers ear.

"Only now do I really see how lucky I was in that arena…I had you…safe…and then me being an idiot let you go…" my voice was deep and emotionless as if nothing mattered to me anymore.

Glimmer took my face in her hands and I looked into her weeping eyes.

"I died looking into your eyes Cato, that was more than I ever expected, that was the best way to go … you are so p-precious to me. And it wasn't your fault I died Cato it wasn't your fault at all." She sniffed and a tear rolled down her pale cheeks.

"But glimmer, I could have saved you… I could have saved both of us, but instead I was so addicted to myself winning that I didn't care who died!" I stroked the hair out of her eyes and she giggled sadly.

"Cato, that's the thing… you couldn't have saved me… one of us had to die in the end, Cato, that's the way the capitol wanted it to be- and I hate them for it…" We stared into each other's eyes and I shook my head.

"Snow can't get away with this; he was responsible for so many deaths… He was responsible for marvel…" we looked at the bleeding corpse and I wished there was something I could do.

But there wasn't.

I sat down by his bed with glimmer on my lap and waited. Clove knelt on the floor crying into his bed sheets and I twirled glimmers hair around my fingers.

There was nothing we could do to help him, nothing we could do to comfort him, the only thing we could do…was wait…


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen – Marvels P.O.V

I didn't think I'd be waking up after the bombings-

I opened my eyes and immediately proved myself wrong. The pain became obvious as I moved my head forward up the pillow, a stabbing sting rippled through my muscles and I screeched at the agony.

A hand grabbed mine and grudgingly I opened my eyes.

Clove sat by my side with Cato and glimmer behind her.

Their faces were drilled on my every emotion so I forced a pain inflicted smile.

"Hey guys, why you look so worried?" I laughed and stopped as I felt my ribs throbbing.

Cato shook his head laughing.

"You idiot- we thought you were dead meat marvel- god's sake your crazier than me"

I tried to smile and I shuffled my hand over the mattress until it met with cloves.

She eyed me sadly.

"Please" I croaked.

And she cupped both her hands around mine kissing my swollen arm as gently as she could.

It felt like heaven to have her back in my…well hand?

I tried to feel the other but no feeling came.

"Am I ok?" I asked.

Glimmer laughed and leant over to kiss my cheek.

"What do you mean marvel? You've never been ok" I sniggered but tried not to move my mouth too much.

"I mean, im all in one piece right?" I laughed… but judging by their faces I knew I was in for big news. The silence grew with the level of awkwardness and I stared at glimmer.

"Look- we tried to stop them but…" glimmer looked to the floor.

"Guys what is it?" I tried to catch one of their gazes but none looked at me.

Clove stopped kissing my arm and sighed. She leaned over me and pulled the covers of my body. I inhaled the musty air and looked down my body.

My eyes glared at the metal machines that had replaced my right leg and hand…and I gagged.

"Well that wasn't what I expected…." I held my throat with my good arm to stop myself from throwing up.

Clove and glimmer tried to comfort me, but in actual fact I was pretty devastated.

Cato stood up and came over to my other side he bent over and put his hands on…my well…my leg? He started to tighten this screw or something and I laughed.

"Stop touching my bolt Cato, you're making me feel uncomfortable…" He abruptly let go in disgust and pretended to hit me.

"Shut it marvel!" he laughed "im trying to fix it up!"

Clove and glimmer started to make witty remarks and Cato gave me his evil glare.

I heard a loud click and he stood up wiping his hands of a nearby bed sheet.

"Get up then" he sniggered

"I physically can't Cato…" I pointed at the thing that had replaced my leg and shrugged.

"What am I supposed to do? Crawl my way around?"

He laughed and clicked his knuckles in that petrifying way.

"You could try?" he joked.

"No he will not" Plutarch came strolling in with coin and Katniss and I could feel Cato's disappointment at their arrival. Cato backed away to let the three of them stand in front of us all.

"Marvels slight mishap in district eight will not affect our plans in the slightest- but he needs to rest as much as possible." Coin said.

" '_Slight'_ Mishap?" Cato laughed "The guys a cripple thanks to your stupid- _Plans_"

Coin gave Cato a fierce stare and Plutarch had to stand in quickly.

"Now let's not get into a conflict, and lets all calm down… Our… ideas will not be affected at all. We will still be needing you four in particular to help us…convince your home districts to…assist our causes?" He looked around to see if we were all accepting his proposal.

None of us argued, so he continued.

"Hopefully during the next few days, marvel, you can make a quick recovery. We wish you all the best." He smiled and left the room leaving katniss standing at the doorway.

"Im sorry that this happened …" she said "the others wanted to wish you a quick recovery" she nodded and left the room.

"What's she mean the others?" Cato said.

"Probably rue and thresh, they did save him the agony when he was brought in, right clove?" glimmer said smiling at me sympathetically.

"Yeah must have been" she sniffed.

I looked into her eyes and lost myself in the large brown orbs.

"Im sorry marvel" she said but I just put my hand on her cheek and sighed.

"Don't be…" I smiled.

"Is it just me or is anyone else really tired?" I yawned and sank my head into the pillow.

"Go to sleep marvel, we'll still be here when you wake up… so don't worry 'bout a thing" glimmer hugged me and I smiled at her touch.

"I missed you guys when I was dead." I heard the others laugh and maybe even reply but I was so tired I just let my body fall back into my long and undisturbed sleep.

Glimmers P.O.V

"Trust me, we didn't!" Cato joked and it made all of us snigger.

But marvel had already fallen asleep.

"Bless him; sleeping beauty's just a bit tired I think… you guys want to grab a snack? Then we'll come straight back." I said.

Clove clutched her stomach and nodded.

"I don't think I've eaten for 24 hours…" she said.

We all agreed and strolled over to the cafeteria.  
Walking through thirteen made me crave district one even more. All the walls were bland and miserable but in district one, everything was bright and happy- I mean no body wore grey- not ever… maybe at a funeral or something… but not in everyday life. The grey clothes just made the grey walls look darker. I reached out for Cato's hand and placed my head on his shoulders. Being able to love him again was such a precious feeling, I almost felt like closing my eyes and just waiting there in the hallway, just to savour the presence of him next to me.

"What are you thinking about?" Cato smirked.  
"You" I sniggered.

"Same…I think about myself quite a lot actually." We smiled and I pinched him arm softly.

"Sorry, am I invisible? Or should I leave you lovebirds to yourselves?" clove smiled mockingly at me and I suddenly realized she was there.

"Ha-ha im sorry Clove, I guess I just wasn't paying much attention to anything else." I laughed softly, noticing how horrible I sounded.

"I really am not trying to be a brat, please don't think I am."

I let go of Cato and took a few paces towards her.

"You're not a brat glimmer, just a typical girl, and don't take that as an insult, cuz' to me that's a compliment." Clove laughed and I guess she was trying to be friendly so I joined her.

"Well what is your definition of a typical girl?" I smirked

"Tall, blonde, skinny, pretty and… ha-ha Flirty" she put on her best imitation of me, sticking out her chest and covering her mouth when she laughed and Cato burst out laughing.

"That was good!" Cato said and I opened my mouth in shock.

"I so do not do that!" I said.

Again clove imitated me, using a high pitched a squeaky tone… unfortunately I really was like that so I couldn't argue.

"Ok, ok, ok nice job placing my self-confidence at a big ol' zero!" I smiled.

She shook her head worriedly "No I really didn't mean it in a bad way, I think that your stupidly perfect…I guess that's why I hated you so much." Cato sniggered under his breath and looked away trying not to smile.

"You hated me?" I said.

"Back in the arena…yeah…I mean now you're really nice but" clove smiled as I started to panic.

"Why did you hate me? What did I do? Was I too flirty? Did I look stupid?" I looked to Cato who just shook his head.

"No glimmer you didn't do anything wrong…it was just a little joke me and clove had…" Cato covered his sniggering mouth and bit his tongue.

"What?" I snapped.

"No don't worry glim…" Cato glanced at clove and they broke into a hilarious laughing fit.

"What was it!" I said angrily.

"Seriously guys, what?" I reached for Cato but he stopped laughing immediately.

Thresh, Rue, Finch and Jason came walking out of the caff doors with some others trailing behind them. Cato stared at thresh but tried to contain his emotions. I bit my lip and waited for the arguing to kick off.

Cato's P.O.V

Thresh and his posse wandered out of the cafeteria and my heart stopped. My laughing broke off as soon as I saw him but still I remained staring at him.

There were a few seconds where my hatred for the boy started to become overwhelming but as I started to boil the image of him and rue helping marvel tore through my mind. I started to gag on my insults and pushed them all back down my throat. I clenched my fist and walked towards him. Every step I took his eyes grew more and more angry but when I reached to about a metre away from him I took a long hard breath.

"Thank you" I said. My guts boiled on the inside and I felt like collapsing but I stood my ground.

"You're welcome" he said- his eyes relaxed a little and what happened next was almost impossible to explain.

I reached out my hand and he took it, Very briefly, but he still took it.

I let go and started to make my way past him when I felt a hand grab on my shoulder.

"Oh and Cato, What happened in the arena…it's past now… I hope you understand." He let go and walked off his posse scooting off behind him.

Jason, or three as I called him, walked passed and looked me in the eye.

"Sorry-for what happened" I said. And a lump of conscience formed in my throat.

"It's ok." He said and ran off to join with the others. Glimmer stared at me.

"You are very brave" she smiled and put her hand on my chest. She felt for my heart pounding and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"I know I am" I sighed and took her hand again.

It took five glasses of water and a couple of mouthfuls of stew to calm down my nerves, and still I couldn't believe what I had done. This time just a few days ago I was leaping on thresh trying to slit his throat and now…today…I thanked the boy. My emotions were too mixed to make any sense of them and I just let clove and glimmers stupid conversation dull my mind.

"I absolutely adored your interview outfit- my god I wish I could've looked like that!" glimmer laughed and I looked at her sarcastically laughing.

"I miss marvel…he wouldn't be talking about clothes" I laughed.

"Actually Cato sweetie, he would" Glimmer smiled and I knew she was right. I pictured Marvel, Glimmer and clove discussing fashion and shuddered.

I needed some male company around me…I needed thresh.

Woah…what the hell was I thinking? I must have had too much stew or something. I sighed and turned back to the irritatingly boring conversation next to me.

"Just kill me now" I smiled and put my face into my arms.

"Oh my god isn't it?" Glimmer laughed.

I groaned miserably.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16- Marvels P.O.V

I heard people yelling around me and I opened my eyes, my vision was blurred and lights flashed past me.

"What?" I groaned and tried to make sense of the blurred world.

"Im sorry marvel, but there is literally no time to lose." Beetee said from above.

"What do you mean" I croaked.

"It will all become clear in a matter of seconds just remain patient."

My hospital bed was being run down a dark corridor and my eyes were struggling to accustom to the low light. I heard Cato, clove and glimmer talking behind me and wondered what we were running for.

My bed was wheeled into the docking area and soon I was safely sealed inside a hovercraft.

I tried to sit up and look around, but my chest throbbed brutally, so I just peered over my body.

Cato, glimmer and clove looked as frustrated as I felt and all seemed to have no idea where they were going.

"Guys" I coughed. At an instant the others came running to my side.

"We were practically kidnapped from the cafeteria marvel, I don't know what they're up too but I don't like it." Clove gave a vicious stare around her and then looked back to me.

"Any chance you know anything?" she asked.

"I know that I was quite happily asleep a few minutes ago…" I moaned.

Cato turned up his nose and tried to grab the attention of a nearby soldier.

"Where are we going?" he yelled, but people just ran about frantically.

He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

"For goodness sake, could somebody please tell us where we are going!" he roared. And the hubbub of noise started to die down.

"Beetee go and give them the brief" coin snapped and pointed in our very confused direction.

The man scatted over holding a big pile of plugs and started to clear his throat.

"Right, sorry about all this, just, well yes- it's um… district one and two have arranged a gathering- of some kind-During this, the capitols broadcast will be televised nationwide. We have decided that during this broadcast- you lot will interrupt the message- at the precise moment president snow appears on screen. We want you…all four of you to enter on stage with your own message. We have had a script prepared and would like one or two or even all of you to read it. Yes? You all understand right?" it took a few seconds for me to process his words. But I nodded.

"So where are we going beetee?" Cato said, the pain in his throat made his voice sound shaken.

"We are headed for district two where both the inhabitants from one and two will be there. You will enter backstage onto the wooden floor by the cinematic style television- In front of the thousands of thousands of people in front of you. Among that crowd…will be your families and friends, but we will need you to remain strong- you are not just in front of you home districts but the whole nation of Panem. Are you up for this?" he asked.

I looked around nervously, but everyone seemed ready. Glimmer gave me a comforting smile and we agreed.

"Good, good, read through the script and prepare yourselves…remember this will not be easy." Beetee nodded at us warmly, and then rushed off to join Coin who was ranting over some computer screen.

"God" I said. "My mum's gunna kill me"

The others sniggered but glimmer started to cry. Obviously the thought of her family was overwhelming. My heart broke as I thought of mine too… my mum…and dad…my brother. What was life like without me for a whole year? And my friends…glimmers friends. Cato hugged glimmer and tried to stop her from crying but I told him to let go and beckoned glimmer closer.

She sobbed, and strolled over to sit on my bed.

"Shhhh, don't be like this glim, this is a good thing. We get to see Shea again! Remember her? And Ebony? And what about Ruby? She will probably cry when she sees you!" The thought of our friends made her smile a little.

"And your sister? Your parents? They'll be overjoyed…I mean it could be worse…you could be me"

She looked at me confused and I smiled and put my metal hand on her lap.

"Not sure mummy marvel will be too happy with me, hey?" She laughed and nodded her head.

"Having a robot son must be a real downer-"she smirked.

Cato and clove laughed and started to make crude remarks about it.

Sure it was insulting, but not something I wasn't used too.

"Marvel" Boggs said.

We all turned to look at him as he came over with two crutches.

"Use these to walk on; don't want you falling over on live TV" He passed them to glimmer and she held them while I prepared myself to stand up.

"I wonder if I've gained weight. I mean I've not stood for days." I grabbed cloves hand and she pulled me into a sort of sitting position. My thighs and chest were in agonising pain but I just gritted my teeth through it.

Ever so slowly I twisted my body to get my real foot out of bed, soon followed by my metal one. I hung my legs off the bed and pushed with my good hand until my feet were pressed against the floor. A weird sensation shot up my right thigh as my robot foot pressed against the floor.

"You ok?" glimmer said.

And I nodded, my face twisted in pain.

It took a few minutes until I was standing and even then it was incredibly hard to balance.

The crutches barley helped but I still had to use them. Being so tall just made it very uncomfortable for me.

After I'd managed the ability to limp- I was out of time. The landing lights came on and glimmer and Cato came over to hold me upright .The massive bulk of a hovercraft landed in district two and my nerves went crazy.

"God im scared" I panted and tried to stop shaking.

"Come on guys it really isn't that bad…just stay calm…." Clove looked to the floor and the blood rushed from her face. The only one of us who looked normal was Cato…but then again he had this clever way of hiding any feeling from the naked eye and had his stupidly natural way of looking relaxed.

"Are you nervous?" I asked Cato.

"Of course I am" he laughed.

The hovercraft doors opened and we heard the capitols anthem blaring in front of us. The door to the stage was just a few meters in front of us…completely unguarded and completely oblivious to its latest arrivals.

Coin shooed us out with the scripts in our hands and pointed to the doors.

"Do not mess this up!" she croaked. Her face was dead serious and we all nodded reassuringly.

"We know what to do." Cato said.

We heard the announcement of President Snow come from the speakers of the television and Cato nodded forward.

"Let's go" he said.

I limped my way forward and Cato led us through the door. We heard Snow's voice come to a halt and the crowd started whispering among themselves. We walked up a few steps, my heart started to beat faster and faster and finally our bodies made an entrance on stage.

As beetee fixed up our images onto the screen I heard the gigantic explosion of shock ripple through the crowd. A few screams burst out and I looked up at the audience in front of me. I took hold of glimmers hand and watched Cato step forward in front of us all. His toes were at the very edge of the stage and I was worried he would pass out. But he remained standing strong- like our beacon of hope he stood there, never falling.

The crowd silenced to a hush but I heard our names being shouted from a distance. I heard my father's voice and my ankles grew weak. But I kept my eyes on Cato.

"People of Panem. This is no trickery of image… this is no fraud. The tributes from the 74th have been genetically brought back by district thirteen. We are here today to speak the words on our hearts and to break the injustice that plagues us." His voice projected far and loud into the crowd of people and I thought of all those faces glued to the TV watching us completely Horrified by the risen dead in front of their eyes.

Clove was next and she made her way to join Cato, he took her hand.

"The games we have all grown to live with, have grown inhumane. There was a time and a place where people lived in harmony- no hunger games- no starvation- no desire for something else…something better. Well your time of longing has come to an end- a rebellion is growing in Panem- districts are feeling the power within to fight for what is right.

People of Panem, we ask you nothing today, we want nothing from you, but we will tell you.

The capitol is coming down, The 'Hunger games' are falling. No more of your children will die- no more lives will be forcefully taken. I made mistakes… we made mistakes… but if this injustice had never come, none of us would have died."

The crowd had fallen completely silent. I saw our families and friends shuffling forward through the people- desperately trying to get to us.

Glimmer shuffled forward and I heard her mother break down into tears.

"We have chosen to fight against the capitol -because we have experienced hands on what it was like to be oppressed by them. The games where something to aspire too back home. We looked forward to the reaping's to see who would be chosen. In fact it sickens me to think that I was happy when I got picked. But seriously, consider a world where you didn't have to watch children die on television, your children, your friends, your siblings. Whoever they may be- A world where you could live a life that you choose. A life of complete freedom." Glimmer put down the script and screwed it up in her hand.

"Now I remember hearing the stories, the myths of a place called America" The crowd started to murmur and whisper to each other.

"That place was democratic, the people were happy, the government was chosen by its people, the people were free" Glimmer shook her head in anger and gestured to the crowd.

"Please, I beg of you, imagine that world and fight for it."

The crowd started its ungraceful muttering again… and then glimmer looked at me.

Shit.

It was my turn to speak. I limped forward and felt like running away or curling up in a ball and screaming. The camera focused on me and I just couldn't bring myself to speak.

"…Hi…" I said

I saw my friends in the crowd and I shook my head sadly and laughed.

There was no point in reading a script. I had already messed up.

"I murdered people…." I said "I murdered them… at first it was fun- and im not going to lie- I enjoyed it- I enjoyed taking the life from kids … How sick is that. I was perfectly happy in that arena- until I saw one of my closet friends being stung to death by insects- vile mutations made by the capitol. I heard her scream, but I never ran back. That's when I realized all my life…I'd been training for a games that I didn't enjoy. Then to make things even better- out of my sheer anger and grief I murdered a twelve year old girl. An unarmed twelve year old girl. I now thank katniss for killing me because I had turned into a monster.

Now I know that my family are in this crowd… my friends… my neighbours… did you enjoy watching me and glimmer die? Was it entertaining for you?

The same goes for the people from district two- watching Cato and clove being murdered- were you laughing? I have nothing left to say to you… except for one thing.

Whatever you treasure in life…whatever you care about… fight for it- help us bring the capitol down- help your families and the generations to come…to not end up like us.."

With that the crowd went manic and our faces vanished from the screen. The peacekeepers were furious and were raging around the crazy crowd.

"Marvel!" I heard the the screams roar from the noises of the crowd.

"Clove- Glimmer- Cato!"

I didn't know whether to turn and run or face my family.

"Cato what do we do?" I yelled.

Cato had his back facing the audience but you could feel his desire to see his family.

"Let's go back" he said.

Clove and glimmer started to argue but Cato had that glazed look on his face again.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE MOVE!" Cato roared.

"Wait!" I heard them, all of our families running over the stage.

"Cato." Glimmer begged "Please" she reached out a hand but he pushed past her.

"Look don't you see! If we don't go right now! We'll be shot by peacekeepers! For shits sake let's move!" The panic on his face turned into a twisted kind of fear.

We were all interrupted by the sound of gunfire and immediately we all ran.

Just my luck really.

My metal leg started to shake under the pressure that I wasn't used to and I tumbled into the grass behind the stage. Glimmer turned absolutely frozen with fear and I screamed at her to run. She shook her head crying and two rough hands pulled me up by the shoulders.

Gritting my teeth I turned to see my captor to find he was almost identical to my dad…my gut churned.

"Run marvel, run as quick as you can… I'll make sure they don't get to you… and I promise I will see you again- now go!" he wacked me in the back and glimmer took me in her arms and sprinted to the aircraft. I hobbled behind her being half dragged half thrown into the ship. I weakly got up off the floor and the four of us waved sadly as our families and friends vanished into tiny little specs of human figures.

"So that's it I suppose…" I sighed and for the rest of the ride no body spoke. I gave clove the occasional kiss on the forehead but otherwise nothing much happened.

As we landed and the doors opened, Katniss and thresh came wandering over with the others trailing behind. Katniss looked up with somewhat of an empathetic look in her eyes.

"Im sorry that you guys couldn't see your families; we kind of hoped that the peacekeepers would leave you alone with your own relatives in the crowd… look I didn't want it to be any of you I thought it was a pretty harsh idea actually"

Glimmer started sniffing but she just shook her head saying- 'no it's ok…it's ok'

Thresh moved over to Cato and they eyed each other awkwardly.

"Sorry about what happened there" Thresh said. The whole room seemed to dull a little bit and finally Cato nodded and reached an even more awkward hand to Thresh's shoulder. At his touch Thresh jolted backwards and my eyes seemed to stare unbelievingly as Cato and thresh burst into laughter and hit each other.

"Right so when did you two become friends?" I laughed and the two of them broke apart intensely fast.

"Friends what the hell are you on about marvel he's a twat" Cato rolled his eyes and stormed off.

"Complete nob head" Thresh spat and walked the other way.

The rest of us sniggered.

"They love each other don't they?" rue laughed peeping her head from behind katniss.

"Yep, just both as stubborn as the other, trust me they will never admit to anything no matter how obvious it gets" Clove shook her head mockingly and we all started walking back to our dormitories.

"Tributes wait!" Coins voice sliced through the peace like a knife in bread and we gave each other concerned looks.

"I would like to see you in the control centre immediately. I want you all to be there as you are needed to be…relived from your duties" her cold voice ended and with that she turned out and walked away.

I looked at glimmer who shrugged.

And two things were starting to really bug away inside of me-

First what was the manner of her urgency, and second…what did she mean by

'Relieved of our duties' I took cloves hand in mine and we walked off into the corridor.


	17. Chapter 17 Dont let go FINAL CHAPTER

The Hunger Games- Careers Story

Final chapter- 

*There will be an alternate ending for those who are not happy with this one. ;-) *

Cato's P.O.V

Me and thresh were grabbed aggressively by coin's soldiers and the next thing we knew we were thrown into her command centre. Marvel sighed with relief at the sight of us and we got up to join them.

"What the hell's goin' on?" Thresh yelled.

The agonisingly empty room made his voice echo.

"Ah, good to see you two have finally arrived" Coin flipped around to face us but had her eyes glued on katniss.

"You don't need to be here soldier Everdeen, go back to your quarters immediately- and besides you should be preparing yourself for your siege on the capitol."

Katniss shook her head defiantly.

"I need to stay; I promised Rue I'd walk her back." Coin smiled sadly.

"Unfortunately, katniss, that won't be necessary."

I eyed glimmer who shrugged worriedly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Thresh puffed out his chest and I edged forward to join his side.

"Calm yourselves boys- it'll all become very clear in a moment." Coin's hideously cruel eyes fixed on mine and for the first time in my entire life I felt really…really weak.

I stumbled back a little until my back was grabbed by glimmers frail little hands. She nodded at me to check if I was ok and I just took a deep breath and forced a smile.

Everyone around me seemed to have the same sort of wooziness- the redhead girl was kind of wobbling- I wondered if it was fear or worry that was making us like this.

Marvel of course was always shaking- because of his leg- but clove was always there holding him and kissing his shoulder.

Coin coughed into her sleeve and then came to stand in front of us.

"Look I don't want to keep you here for long- because generally speaking that's just cruel- so I'll give it to you on the point- no extras- hey?"

Thresh gave me a disgusted look and rolled his eyes- I tried to not smirk but it was eating away at my mouth and soon it was unbearable.

Coin peered at me and the smile turned into a sort of snarl.

"The money that district thirteen has had to waste on your revivals has cost us several wins to battles against the capitol. Frankly, bringing you back has cost us more than we'd spent before you started breathing again- therefore- because half of district one and two are fighting with us now- we seem to have lost… lost any purpose to keep you all."

The words sank slowly and soon my mouth had opened with horror.

"You don't need us? So wha…what the fuck are you going to do with us?!" I screamed.

She shook her head again and her funny grey bob swished around her forehead.

"Im sorry tributes- you have been an extreme help to your country-to Panem- you make me very proud- but sadly were just going to have to… pull the plug." Katniss started to run forward in anger and Coins bony skeletal hands pressed a remote button in her fingers.

As if time had slowed down, I watched as thresh and Rue's lifeless bodies dropped to the floor- Their mutation shells as empty as marvels brain.

I almost dropped at the realization of it all, the truth in what was about to happen to all of us- we were just puppets in coins plan- and now she didn't need us- she was dropping our strings-letting our limp corpses dangle in the air- she was killing us.

Katniss ran across the floor tears pouring from her mentally scared eyes.

"RUE!" she choked.

The button was pressed again, and the district 10 girl fell onto the floor.

As if on cue me, Marvel, Clove and Glimmer huddled into a circle trying desperately to use the remaining seconds we had left.

The district nine boy crumpled on the floor.

"Ok- we don't have long so im going to brief up" I spluttered- my chest was throbbing and it felt as if I was stuck in a nightmare- the quicker I tried to talk- the slower I spoke.

"Glimmer, will you marry me?" The district eight girl fell wailing onto the floor and katniss continued screaming for coin to stop.

"Clove, marry me too" marvel cried.

Then without a spare second we kissed- Me and glimmer and marvel and clove.

"Yes of course" Glimmer sobbed.

"One hundred per cent yes" clove rubbed her eyes.

The four of us grabbed hold of each other so tightly that it almost hurt.

"You three have become more than family to me-"I sniffed "I love you all guys"

The district six tributes fell. Then the redhead. Then district four. Then three went down.

I held glimmers hands tightly.

"Were more than family guys- were careers." I heard a sad laugh come from their lips and then darkness.

My strings dropped. My puppet hung limp and alone. But not alone… No… I had three others joined onto my hands… and they would never ever let go.

For we are all just puppets,

Playing one big game,

And out of all your tributes,

Only one will remain…..

Katniss' P.O.V

I looked wearily out of the window and saw peeta and the kids running outside laughing; it made me happy to see them like this, without a care in the world. It's been one year exactly since I watched Rue and the others die for a second time. It still haunts me… I can see their lifeless bodies collapsing on the floor and then the four careers that I'd grown to despise huddled together and embracing death- hand in hand. Prim also died last year… and Boggs, and Finnick, it kills me inside to hear their voices in my head but I know for sure that they are in a better place.

I heard Cato asking glimmer to marry him that night… then marvel asking clove… I always wonder if they'd of had children of their own… lived together in district one maybe, or two depending on what they decided. It makes me feel so lucky to be alive- with my children and peeta.

The careers especially changed over those weeks. I suppose having a second chance at life really brings out the best of who you are.

I mean as much as I hated them I almost had a sense of admiration for them all. I mean after everything they went through they dealt with it together- as a team- out of everything that happened they couldn't do anything without knowing that the other was safe.

When marvel was crawling in pain in district 8, Cato ran back for him.

When they huddled in that room waiting to die- they kept hold of each other.

In a way that is unexplainable- they were the four most courageous and heroic people I have ever known.

The sun beamed through the glass of the window and seemed to agree with me.

I placed a frail smile on my face and let my mind trail off into the clouds up in the sky.

And im sure that I saw them that moment- people say it was insanity, confusion even a misunderstanding- but I know what I saw.

All 22 of them, every single one, staring at me through the clouds. And the thing that I find most comforting, the thing that dulls the nightmares in my head, is that when I saw them- when I saw their faces- they were smiling.

********* End *********

Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow

Lay down your head, and close your eyes

And when they open, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, and here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away

A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray

Forget your woes and let your troubles lay

And when it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, and here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

Thankyou.


	18. Chapter 18

Final chapter/s- Alternate ending

Cato's P.O.V

*ok saying as the alternate endings obviously very different from the original I've had to spread the contents over a few chapters :-p -so actually the ending is around 1-2 chapters long… but hey that's not too bad*

Me and thresh were grabbed aggressively by coin's soldiers and the next thing we knew we were thrown into her command centre. Marvel sighed with relief at the sight of us and we got up to join them.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

Marvel shrugged.

"Tributes, We have some important news to inform you" Coin shuffled her way forward and let her sour face intrude our sights.

"Thanks to your brave friends over here," she indicated to us and I heard marvel break down laughing sarcastically.

"Your home districts have agreed together, that if we let you all return to your homes they will offer us their places in the rebellion, I can offer my greatest gratitude to all of you for helping us ascend to this position in the war- without you- it would seem almost impossible to achieve such heights. You saved many deaths."

The words started to hover around us in the air until finally the red head girl raised an elegant white hand into the air.

"Does this mean- we can go home?" she stuttered.

All of our faces started to twist from worried to overjoyed.

"Of course." Coin said- and a small wrinkled smile formed on her face.

"A aircraft will pick you all up in exactly one hour so make sure you are ready for the flight." A brief nod and the guards escorted us to the main corridor.

As our little squad started to clog what had just happened people started to laugh and soon- even the quietest of us were laughing and smiling with the others.

Glimmer started the hugging fest and was embracing almost everyone around her- the district six tributes, district four, even the kid from district three. Me being myself just stood with my arms across my chest nodding occasionally when people said goodbye.

As rue was picked up by katniss I saw Thresh on the other side of the room mirroring my exact position.

We laughed at our similar stance and then very slowly and awkwardly he came strolling over.

"Soo… it'll be quiet without you lot to argue with hey?" he cracked his knuckles and tried not to look at me in the eyes. I knew exactly where he was heading and it almost made me go green with embarrassment but it just had to be said.

"Dude- you're like a brother- why do we hate each other?" he stared at me in disbelief and my legs started to melt into the floor.

"I dunno man…. Look we a'int that different- I suppose it was just bad luck where we finally met? Right?"

We nodded awkwardly and we shook hands.

The shake just kept going and I didn't know how to end it. As if in stages he pulled me in and slammed his hand on my back- in other words he gave me a man hug.

As we separated the whole lot of them were staring an laughing at us.

"I hate you Cato." Thresh smiled.

"What a freak" I said walking off.

As I made my way into the crowd marvel was crouching down and I think… apologizing to rue. It made me snigger- but then I realized it was probably the right thing to do.

"Hey three!" I yelled, and the kid turned around and I walked over to him.

"Look kid, what happened last year, I know its history an all but I got to say it- im sorry man" He looked at me considering for a second but then nodded.

"I brushed it off- its ok- thanks anyhow…" I patted him on the head and walked off sighing. 'Right how many people did I kill again?' I thought.

- One hour later -

Glimmers P.O.V

After everybody had sat down on the hovercraft- we decided to take our window seats. Marvel took longer to hobble over, but he was much faster than the last time.

As he sat himself down next to clove a sudden sense of fear shuddered through me. I was going home- finally- I wondered if it was the same as it was two years ago- I wondered if my family had changed at all. Maybe my death has made them all like mentally unstable or something? Cato saw I was panicking and smiled at me.

"What you worrying for glim? This is the best news since I heard you were still alive!" I nodded and smiled back at him. No of course he's right. This is great- I was going back to district one- that's the best news ever. I just had to calm down.

The hovercraft started to buzz under our feet and it rippled through our bodies until the top of my head felt funny. I saw district thirteen slowly but surely vanishing below us and felt the glory of freedom explode around us.

Cato held my hands in his and he started to sing.

We all sat there together- listening to Cato singing- marvel correcting him when he got a note wrong- laughing occasionally- but soon the questions that needed asking had to be asked.

"Guys" clove said "what are we going to do when we get home? I mean- me and Cato are going to two and you're going to one…" My happiness started to dull as I realized what was going to happen.

"We…we won't be able to travel until this war is over… that could be months…" I said.

"I can't spend a day without you guys… how'm I going to cope" Marvel looked at the floor; his distressed eyes making us all panic slightly.

"Look, we can figure this out…" Cato said- but I could see right through those emotionless eyes and I saw that for certain… we wouldn't be seeing each other… for months… and if worst came to worst for years.

I started to feel incredibly sick imagining a world with no Cato or Clove…

And im guessing clove started to feel that way too because I saw her eyes starting to well up.

"Marvel" she said and reached out for him hand.

"You're such a goon…" she said and a tear started to roll from her face.

"But I love you more than anyone I've ever loved…" Marvel had to bite his real hand to stop himself from crying so instead he just held her tightly into his chest and wept into her hair.

"God I'll miss you…" he said.

Cato's grip tightened on my hands as we watched our soul mates in front of us weeping.

"I can't let you go…" Cato said. "Not again…not again…"

He rubbed his eyes angrily to prevent himself from even shedding one tear, but it made his eyes look red and agitated.

"Glimmer I can't lose you… and im not waiting to be with you any longer… I know clove you will agree with me… as much as I…love my family… we have a new one right here and im not letting them go." Cato froze his stare with clove and she nodded- the tears rolling down her face.

"Were staying with you- no matter where you go." Clove wept.

And soon enough we were in another bundle but this time with each other- we held onto one another like they were are only way to survive.

"We'll go to district one… after the war we'll swap… and maybe we'll just keep swapping but for now let's have a bit of luxury? Ha-ha."

Cato got marvel in a headlock and started making robot noises until finally marvel hit him round the face with his metal hand.

"OW shit!" Cato laughed holding onto his cheek.

"You were provoking me Biatch" Marvel looked at Cato evilly and we all just smiled.

"Mummy marvel really will kill you marvel… I mean look at your hair? That's a whole 3 weeks of being grounded" I smiled and marvel felt his hair disapprovingly.

"I'll just use Cato's fat head to block it out" marvel said.

We all laughed but Cato started holding his head in his hands.

"Guys that's not funny- I don't have a fat head- guys."

I smiled and pressed my lips against his forehead.

"It's not fat baby- just chubby" I said giving him small kisses all over his face.

He brushed my fringe out of my eyes and my heart started beating painfully hard in my ribcage.

"You really do need to cut that fringe…" he smiled sadly. "But don't…don't ever cut it…"

I tucked it behind my ear and he nodded.

"Perfect" He smiled.

"Im hardly perfect Cato…" his soft sweet scent filled my senses and I felt sleepy again in his presence.

" You? Not perfect? Don't be stupid- you don't have a single thing wrong with you-" he winked.

"What about my scars?" I said.

He shook his head sweetly.

"What scars?" He smiled letting his face curve into the golden sunlight through the window.

"I love you" I smiled.

"Gag- I think im going to be sick" marvel laughed.

Cato shook his head laughing-

"Marvel-" he said "I hate you" we all laughed and let the hovercraft take us home.

*** Six months later ***

Cato's P.O.V

"Shit shit shit shit….. Marvel what do I do? … I can't do this… can I?" I was almost hopping in the alter I saw marvel and glimmers family enter into the church and my mind started racing.

"Trust me Cato- you remember our wedding? It was fine- just chill out? Not like you'll forget anything really REALLY important" marvel smiled.

"Fuck the rings-" I said, and i grabbed marvel by the shoulders.

"Calm it Cato, see marvel as best man isn't such a bad idea? I got em- hahaha- your face was classic. Hey thresh did we get that picture?"

I turned angrily and thresh waved a camera laughing in the air.

"I knew I should have chosen clove…" I sighed.

"But she's a girl?" marvel laughed.

"Less girl than you marvel." I smirked

Marvel stopped smiling and put his hands on his hips.

"I thought the gay jokes would stop when I married clove?" he said.

"Nope" I smiled "If anything, they've got worse."

Marvel started arguing but the wedding music started playing and I lost all the blood from my face.

"Crap, Cato don't die now, glimmers coming" marvel whispered.

"Marvel" I snapped. That's when I heard the church door open and I saw my shadow cast its way up the alter steps. She was here.

I smiled with relief as I heard her happy sobs coming towards me.

Marvels face was brimming with happiness and he waved to the figure behind me.

"Look Cato- you can look now"

Very slowly I craned my neck to look behind me.

I gasped with wonder. Her body was wrapped in diamonds and silk and there are no other words to describe her than a pristine angel. Her hair coiled like gold down her shoulders and her fringe only just covered her eyes. As her small innocent hands enclosed in mine I stared directly into her eyes. Clove dropped her dress' trail and went to join with marvel.

The priest spoke in his quiet humble voice and I smiled at her beautiful face.

"I do" I said

The priest spoke again but all I could see were her sea green eyes sparkling at mine.

"I do" she sniffed.

"In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit I now pronounce you as husband and wife." Glimmers face beamed at the cheering audience but I kept my eyes fixed on her. "You may now kiss the bride" he said

She turned to face me and our lips met in the most perfect moment of my whole life- the moment I knew that I'd have glimmer forever.

I heard marvel and clove going mental behind me and I couldn't help but love it.

I picked glimmer up in my arms and felt her trailing dress fly out behind us. The open door let the sunset pour into the room and it made the church around us shine like the jewels on her dress.

She wiped her eyes and then put her hands on my face.

"Hello Mrs Cato" I laughed.

"Hello Mr Cato" we both smiled and I walked out into the sunlight with marvel and clove laughing besides us.

"Oh god" marvel said.

We all looked at him worriedly.

"What is it?" glimmer sniffed.

"Im stuck with you guys for the rest of my life" marvel said.

The others laughed but I just shuffled glimmer in my arms.

"No marvel you're not stuck with us." I laughed "were stuck with you."

*and yes there's more on next chapter- ha-ha*


	19. THE END

_**Final Chapter- Alternate ending-**_

_**Careers Story- **_

*One last note, to the readers of this story thank you so SO much for your continued support and reviews, I would have liked to end the story here, but unfortunately im a little too stubborn to end it like this ( end it with so much more story to be told). So… thanks to **Aviatress** and **DragonGirl317**'s brilliant idea- I'm having ideas on writing a sequel- unfortunately the sequel is for the original ending but it doesn't result in their deaths ;-) -The first chapter will appear on my profile in the next few days and if anyone has any ideas to be put in it please write it in a review or private message me! Also I really do want to thank everyone that reviewed- they made me laugh a lot and really meant a lot to me- thank you- Beef pie ;-D *

**Glimmer's P.O.V**

**10 years later**

"Oh my god Cato put that down right now-"I eyed him angrily until he put the spitting cat back onto the front drive.

"Sweetheart look the kids love it?" Cato let his warm alluring smile capture his face and I brushed it off.

"It has flees Cato…" I pointed to the scrawny creature and promised myself it would not enter my house alive.

"Muma please"

Jace copied his dad's smile from a young age and it almost became a bribing weapon.

I put my hands on my hips and looked at both of their pleading faces.

"Cato, you told me you hated cats?" I snapped.

"It's Christmas? And come on marvel has a cat- I want a cat too." I sniggered to myself

"Ebony, don't you ever end up like your dad ok" My daughter laughed.

"Trust me- I will never end up like dad!" I smiled and brushed her hair off her neck.

Then my smile faded and my emotion soured.

"You can keep the cat- but clean it first before it even looks at my house!" Cato and Jace high fived each other and Jace crawled over to my knees and hugged me.

"I love you too sweetie but please get off mummy needs to call uncle marvel- and Cato- you're a… you know what it doesn't matter"

I walked into the house shaking my head laughing.

The walls made me feel safe and judging by our shaky past… anywhere safe was home.

The war had finally ended and katniss had finally managed to lose the plot, but I couldn't blame her for killing coin, I mean I'd of probably done the same thing if it were my sister…

Anyway, everyone was invited today, Christmas shouldn't be miserable after all…it should be happy.

I'd called literally everyone… and most of them had got back to me- but obviously some people like… Finnick and Boggs couldn't make it.

I shuddered.

I mean I had told ebony and Jace what had happened back then… in the arena… and district 13… but death was something that our families liked to avoid talking about.

"Hey sweetheart" Cato came following me into the kitchen and I turned around raising one eyebrow.

"You're going to regret keeping that cat" I said, he smiled and waved his hand in the air.

"Ehh- we can flush it down the toilet if I get bored of it."

I smiled back at him and he wrapped his strong arms around me.

"I love you glimmer" he smirked

"I love you too" he kissed my nose and I pinched his belly away.

"I have to call marvel right now- have to see when him, clove and the kids will be coming over" Cato sighed.

"URRR Marvel…"

I threw the washing into the basket and laughed.

"Don't be like that you love marvel- and thresh will be over too" I said,

"Oh great… No you know im joking I love them both really, and come on marvels like my not so good looking brother." I rolled my eyes

"I'll tell him you said that" I bit my tongue and Cato charged at me and threw me over his shoulder.

"No you will not!" he laughed.

"Cato- you've done this too many times before- put me down- Right now" my voice indicated that I 'was not' having fun and he put me down smirking.

"Anyone would think you had a lot to do?" he laughed.

My face burned "A LOT? Cato- why don't you cook for over 50 people, adopt a flee bitten cat, phone about eight people and look after a family with a husband like you in it! in less than two hours?"

Cato thought about it for a second, kissed me on the cheek and started to shuffle to the door.

"See you in two hours… you're beautiful…I love you loads…and loads… Bye" His head diapered around the door and I went all stations go.

'I hate Christmas' I laughed.

**Cato's P.O.V**

I walked into the hallway and our newest member of the family rolled in circles over the floor purring as ebony stroked his back.

"Ebony, where's Jace?" I looked at Ebony's emerald eyes and my expression darkened.

"Ebony- where is he?" She paused for a moment as if holding a secret.

"EBONY…" I raised my voice.

"He's writing a love poem for Rubie…." Ebony bit her lip and started to giggle.

"What?" I smiled "Really?" my throat started to tick and soon I was on the floor with her, tears welling in our eyes.

Jace came stomping down the stairs angrily.

"What awe yoo laughin at…" He pulled the dummy out of his mouth and frowned at us.

"N- haha- nothing mate- just go back upstairs and leave us here-pff- uh-hem…." I coughed awkwardly until he left and then punched ebony in her arm laughing.

"Aren't marvels daughters your age?" I laughed

Ebony nodded.

"There in my year-in my class- they just turned eight! And Jace is two!" Ebony beamed and I put a finger to her mouth.

"Shhh- let him write it- it'll be hilarious- but don't laugh at him that's mean…" She nodded at me understandingly and we both just smiled.

"Let's go watch TV till your uncle marvel and aunty clove come over yeah?" Ebony beamed and we ran to the living room and jumped on the leather sofa.

I held her head in my arm and turned on the television.

The TV came on blasting its horrific content around the room and I gagged turning it off quickly.

"Dad?" she asked "You ok"

I started shaking and put my head in my knees.

"MUM!" she yelled.

"No im ok" I sighed and took a deep breathe out.

Glimmer came running in the room a roast chicken half cooking in her hands.

"Sweetie" Glimmer put the pan on the coffee table and came and put a hand on my back.

"You alright- it was on TV again wasn't it?" I nodded and she kissed my cheek.

"Capitol kid special" I spat.

I shudder at the thought of the arena… the cold, dark, glimmer-less arena.

"I'll find another channel" she sighed.

My daughter grabbed my hand and hugged me.

I shook off my shakiness and sat up again as some crappy kids programme came on TV- but then again anything's better than the hunger games- im glad that this year they gave us options to watch it or not… sometimes it makes me laugh how much my opinions have changed of it since I'd been in.

My daughter smiled at me and I tried to smile back- but I felt too sick to smile properly so I probably just gritted my teeth at her.

Glimmer gave me another kiss and ran back with her chicken.

Hours of children's television seemed to blur into one big white flash but I kept seeing all those little tattooed faces screaming on the flat surface of the TV- what did capitol kids know about labour? None would survive that and whoever did would be one lucky kid…

The doorbell rang and my mind suddenly started to relax.

"MUM, there here" Ebony leapt out of her chair and Jace stormed down the stairs waving his letter in the air. Glimmer came out the kitchen panting and the door opened.

Marvel was beaming in his ridiculous blue suit and clove looked amazing as usual, I almost ran over to hug them-

"Ha-ha! Your house couldn't be warmer" marvel smiled and I grabbed the idiot in my arms and held him close-

"We brought you cider mate, go ask glimmer she'll be burning herself alive in the kitchen"

Marvel clapped his hands together.

"Were only five minutes down the road and she doesn't think to ask for any help- ha-ha- I'll go have my drink" he said and strolled away.

Clove patted him on the back as he walked off and I picked her up in the air.

"How are you? You look wonderful!" I smiled and she brushed off the snow from her hair.

"Im good" she smiled "But trust me, im getting glimmer to buy his presents next year, he's worse than our Six month old boy- seriously Hendrix is definitely marvels son- he's already taller than our cat" we laughed at the thought and then cloves kids walked in the door. I'd only seen them last night but every time I saw them they looked more and more like clove. They most certainly had her spirit.

"UNCLE CATO!" they yelled and leapt on my arms. Images of clove attacking me in district two plagued my mind and I laughed and brushed them off.

"Oh my gosh- look at you- you're an almost replica of your mom- I swear to god by next week you'll be wearing her clothes" Clove's pupils narrowed and she grabbed me by the collar.

"Do not be giving them ideas Cato- ok?" she walked off to hug glimmer and I winked at the girls.

The door shut behind them and I heard the cat mewing at my feet.

"What you want? Chicken? Go ask glimmer" I said but it seemed un-amused. I walked into the kitchen to join the others and three screaming children ran barging into me.

"Girls watch it" I choked as my groin suffered a close encounter with a knee.

Uur I hate children…. Well I don't… but I just like them sometimes… Glimmer loves kids so she's always happy- it's the screaming and shitting everywhere that I don't particularly love.

I got the cat a half-eaten fish and put it by the back door, but then i turned my attention back to clove, marvel and glimmer behind me.

"My god he hasn't aged a day- im so jealous." Marvel sniggered.

"Are you kidding me Marvel? if anything I've probably aged most out of you- I mean come on im all old and boring now?"

Glimmer opened her mouth in shock.

"Cato you are anything but boring—trust me I've lived with you for 10 years?"

Marvel almost choked on his drink-

"Crap- it's been that long already? Oh and glimmer I hope you don't mind but can I go watch tv-"

Clove sighed "I don't know why you watch that- I mean it makes you act funny for hours."

As I understood my throat started to tighten.

"I know- I suppose I just feel that I should- kind of like showing them a respect-I mean I know that I'd like at least one person to watch me go? Ah well- I just have to-"

Glimmer looked down.

"Ok but shut the door behind you- I don't want to see that."

Marvel walked out the room and my sub-consciousness started to follow him.

"Cato what are you doing? Come on you can't watch that." Glimmer came over and touched my arm.

"Marvel can't suffer that alone- look we'll be ok by the time foods served." I angrily walked to the living room and closed the door behind me.

"I hate you for making me do this." I said.

"You don't have to watch it too- I just feel bad not too" he said.

"Exactly- I feel bad letting you suffer alone so budge up." I sat on the sofa with him and let the images from the TV fill my mind. We were basically kids again- sat in our districts- laughing- judging- it made me sick.

A young girl with yellow skin got tore into pieces by mutts- I almost grabbed marvel- but I had to keep reminding myself that we were safe and the arena didn't exist anymore.

One day we'll show the kids our hunger games- we recorded it- it's a horrible thing to do- but maybe that way they'd understand why we don't let them out when its dark- and why our family and marvels practically do everything together- and why we hate talking about how we met…

When the food was on the table we left the room- Thresh and his wife, Finch and her family, Jason or 'three' as I called him- were all bustling into the dining room then we saw

Rue, katniss and peeta and their kids, Kristin and cade from four, zeff from six, saphron and garen from seven, laro from eight, hacel from nine, and hern and sheeden from 10.

Then our families came and our old friends arrived at the door.

I looked at marvel "next year it's your house"

I smiled weakly but he seemed to think it was funny.

We greeted everyone and I made a lot of leeking nauseous smiles- but soon enough – luckily- the Christmas celebration started.

Meaningless gifts were passed, terrible jokes were told… by marvel mostly… but they were still told. We all looked about five years old in these ridiculous paper hats… but it was the most perfect moment besides my wedding. Everyone was happy that evening… yeah I felt a little sick- but I was happy anyway.

My children were almost glowing they looked that happy- it made me overjoyed to see them so innocently entertained… no murdered bodies would ever make them smile like they made me smile… Pain in other people was a serious misery to them… not a joy.

I had the perfect home, the perfect friends, the perfect children and the perfect wife.

But obviously im not always this happy- some people laugh at me and say I should be over it by now… I sometimes even laugh at myself… but no one could really understand.

Clove, Glimmer, Marvel and I are probably the only ones who really do.

Thousands of people live to tell tales of the hunger games-

But really, only four of us get to tell the most guilt ridden stories of them all-

They get to tell the story of entertainment and death, of joy and of pain…

They get to tell the careers story.

****- End- ****

On behalf of Cato, Clove, Glimmer and Marvel- Thankyou.


End file.
